To get traffic camera footage after a crash, identify the exact time and place, then request video from the agency that owns the camera.
Most drivers never realize the video that proves who caused a crash can vanish before the insurance claim is even filed. Some agencies keep traffic-camera footage for as little as 14 days, while others hold it for more than a year.
Three details decide success: the exact intersection or mile marker, a tight time window for the crash, and the agency that runs the camera. Ask early and act while the video still exists.
Which Agency Owns the Camera?
Traffic cameras are usually run by the responding police department, a city transportation agency, or a state highway department. Start with the local police and the city or county transportation office, and ask both in writing.
Before you contact anyone, collect these details:
- Crash date and a specific time window, ideally 30 minutes on either side of the collision.
- Exact intersection, street names, or mile marker, plus your direction of travel.
- Police report number once the report exists.
- Photos of the scene and of any visible cameras, taken only after everyone is safe.
Safety comes first. If anyone is injured, call 911, switch on hazards, and move to a safe spot. Never search for cameras in the middle of a roadway.
One catch: not every traffic camera records. Some systems stream live only, and others trigger only on red-light violations, so they may never store continuous video. Ask the agency whether the camera covering that intersection archives footage at all before you assume a recording exists.
How Long Do Agencies Keep Accident Footage?
Retention runs from about two weeks to more than a year, so put your request in immediately. Chicago CDOT’s FOIA guidance shows how much the rules vary by system.
| System or Policy Example | Stated Retention |
|---|---|
| Beverly Hills city camera CCTV | 13 months |
| Chicago red-light camera 24-hour streaming video | 30 days |
| Chicago red-light violation video clips | 2 years |
| Many police and highway traffic systems | As little as 14 days |
Those are local examples, not national rules. In California, Beverly Hills releases city CCTV under Vehicle Code section 20012 and holds the footage for 13 months; Chicago CDOT’s FOIA guidance keeps streaming red-light video for 30 days and violation clips for two years. Confirm the local policy before you wait out a deadline.
- Contact the responding police agency and ask whether any roadway camera was noted in the report.
- Submit a public-records or FOIA request naming the exact intersection or mile marker and the date-time window.
- If the agency refuses, ask an attorney about a formal subpoena.
Insurers rarely receive roadway video directly from a public agency. More often, you file the request and forward the footage to your adjuster.
Private Cameras and the Only Backup You Fully Control
When no government camera covered the crash, nearby private cameras are the next source. Stores, homes with doorbell cameras, ATMs, buses, and delivery vehicles can all hold useful video, but the footage belongs to the owner and access depends on consent or legal process.
Ask the property owner to preserve the video immediately, since many systems overwrite within days. If the owner refuses, an attorney can pursue a subpoena.
If you drive regularly, the only footage you fully control is the camera mounted in your own car, and it has to be there before the crash happens. For footage already recorded elsewhere, the winning move stays the same: act fast, put the request in writing, and name the exact time and place.
FAQs
Can I get traffic camera footage without hiring a lawyer?
Yes. Most police departments and city agencies accept public-records requests directly from individuals. You need the crash date, exact location, and a specific time window. If the agency refuses to release the video, an attorney can push for it with a subpoena, so a lawyer becomes necessary only at that point.
Do red-light cameras record even when nobody runs the light?
Many red-light cameras record continuously but keep only short review windows. Chicago holds 24-hour streaming video for just 30 days but preserves violation clips for two years. Ask the agency whether the specific camera archives continuous footage, because a camera that only triggers on violations may have no recording of your crash.
Can my insurance company request the footage for me?
Usually not. Public agencies often will not hand traffic video directly to an insurer, and adjusters typically need a direct contact or release path from the local authority. The policyholder files the records request, then forwards the footage to the insurer.
References & Sources
- City of Chicago. “CDOT FOIA: Freedom of Information Act Requests.” Documents red-light camera video review and retention periods.
- City of Beverly Hills. “Public Records Requests.” States city CCTV retention of 13 months under California Vehicle Code section 20012.