How to Get Video Footage for an Accident in South Carolina

Video evidence after a South Carolina car accident usually comes from nearby businesses and homes, other drivers’ dash cams and phones, and the police officers who worked the crash. SCDOT’s traffic cameras don’t save videos, so there’s nothing to request from them. Trying to collect this evidence on your own can be frustrating, as businesses can say no, and police dash cam and body cam footage can take a long time to get.

Video evidence may help prove that the other driver is responsible for the accident, even if they tell a different story. Many private cameras record over old footage, so the first few days matter. If you’re trying to track down video after being injured in an accident, the team at Armada Law Injury Attorneys is here to help.

Where Can Video of Your Car Accident Come From?

There may be more options than you think when trying to secure video footage after your car accident. It all depends on who owns the video footage and how you can get it:

If you were in an accident with a truck driver or with a delivery company, they may have a dash cam that records their route. Getting that video evidence from them on your own can be tricky, because it may help prove they are at fault. Our accident attorneys can help you reach out to businesses and secure the evidence needed for your case.

If the driver who hit you is never identified, a recording showing their vehicle caused your injury or damage is one way to support a claim on your own uninsured motorist coverage, though the law has other conditions our hit-and-run accident lawyers can walk you through.

Can You Get Traffic Camera Footage of Your Accident From SCDOT?

SCDOT’s traffic cameras on interstates and major roads feed the live traffic view on SC 511, but SCDOT doesn’t save that video. They don’t have any recordings, and they don’t hold police video either. SCDOT’s public records page lists body cam footage, dash cam footage, and video camera footage among the records they do not provide.

Unfortunately, SCDOT can’t give you footage that doesn’t exist. That means your first few days after an accident are better spent on the cameras that do record, like the businesses and homes around the intersection and the police agency that worked the crash. A camera owned by a city or county may work differently, so ask that agency whether it saves video.

How Do I Ask a Business or Neighbor for Their Security Video?

Start by going back to the scene or checking a map for where the accident took place, and make a list of every business, gas station, apartment building, and home with a camera facing the road. Many private systems record over themselves within a few days, so the sooner you reach out, the better your chance of getting video footage.

When you ask, provide them with the following:

• The date and a narrow time window
• The exact location and the direction each vehicle was traveling
• Your police report number, if you have one

Ask them to save a copy right away, even if they are not ready to hand it over yet. A business or neighbor can say no, and getting that evidence can sometimes require one of our lawyers to step in. Stay polite, explain that you were hurt and continue to follow up. Keep a log of who you asked, when, and what they said.

If a stranger offers you video evidence for a payment, treat it as a warning sign. Make sure you are getting video directly from the owner of the camera.

How to Request Police Dash Cam Video in South Carolina

Anyone can ask a South Carolina police agency for its public records under the state’s Freedom of Information Act. Video recordings count as public records. Where you send the request depends on who worked your crash:

• SC Highway Patrol: Use the SC Department of Public Safety’s online FOIA portal and attach both sides of your crash report (the TR-310), which comes from SCDMV. SCDPS lists video among crash records, if it exists.
• Greenville County Sheriff’s Office or Greenville Police: Email the request form to Greenville County’s Records Management Services at publicrecords@greenvillecounty.org.

The agency has 10 days to tell you whether it will release the records, then up to 30 calendar days after that to provide them. Those 10 days don’t include weekends and legal holidays. There may be fees involved to get footage, and they can’t exceed the actual cost of the search, retrieval and redaction. A deposit of up to 25 percent may be required first.

The agency can withhold a law enforcement recording only if releasing it would cause a harm the law lists, such as interfering with an upcoming law enforcement proceeding or unreasonably invading someone’s privacy. If the agency denies your request, our attorneys can help you understand your options.

Can You Get Police Body Camera Footage in South Carolina?

Body camera footage is not a public record under South Carolina law, so police agencies are not required to release it in response to a public records request. However, a police agency can still choose to release body camera video at its discretion.

The law does name people who are entitled to request and receive it through the South Carolina court rules or a court order, including the person who was recorded, someone with a pending civil lawsuit the video is relevant to, and either one’s attorney. If you were on camera, or you’ve filed an injury lawsuit the video relates to, one of our attorneys can ask for it through the court process instead of a letter to the agency.

How Our Team Tracks Down Footage Before It’s Gone

We can reach out in writing to the businesses, homeowners, and agencies near your crash and ask them to keep their video while your claim moves forward. If someone says no, a subpoena can require a business or person to produce the video they have once an injury lawsuit is filed. However, it all depends on whether the video still exists by then.

We also handle the public records requests for police dash cam video and the court-rule requests for body camera video, so you don’t have to figure out each agency’s process. We’ll help you gather the video and keep you in every decision about how it’s used. Your focus should be on getting better, not calling store managers and records offices.

Let Us Help You Find the Video From Your Accident

The video that shows what happened is often out there, but it sits with businesses, neighbors, and police agencies that each have their own rules and their own timelines. Let the team at Armada Law Injury Attorneys help you track it down while you focus on recovering from your injury. There’s usually no upfront cost to work with us, and we’ll tell you exactly where you stand. Call us at 833-332-3128 or reach out to our team online to tell us what happened.