Can Traffic Camera Footage Be Used in a Bardstown Accident Claim?

When film production companies film a car crash, they don’t leave anything to chance.

Every move is carefully mapped out, and safety protocols are put in place to protect the drivers. Once the stunt is executed, it preserves the moment on film or video. A traffic camera can also capture the moment of impact between vehicles, but there’s nothing staged. Instead, that footage will show actual events as they happened.

That can play a significant role in the pursuit of compensation from the victim of the accident.

One of the most crucial aspects of traffic footage is that it can overcome contradictory statements. If there are conflicting statements about who is at fault, the footage can prove things like speeding or running a red light.

Obtaining the footage also puts the insurance company on notice that you’re serious about pursuing your claim.

When you think of traffic cameras, you probably imagine the pole-mounted cameras positioned at traffic lights and intersections. These are managed by local or state transportation departments and are meant to monitor traffic flow and accidents.

While these traffic cameras should be the primary source of evidence, other types of cameras may capture footage of the accident.

Here are some other potential types of cameras that capture accidents in Bardstown:

Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs)

Law enforcement in the Bardstown area uses ALPRs to track vehicles. These can capture vehicle details and movements through the town.

Police Drones

The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) uses drones to monitor traffic and track suspects during active criminal incidents. In 2025, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg approved the use of the Drone as First Responder (DFR) program.

The footage from these drones can help establish liability and demonstrate the impact of the accident.

Commercial and Business Surveillance

Any business in the vicinity of the accident could be using security cameras that surveil their property and can capture the collision. There would also be residencies with Ring cameras that can also capture the moment of impact.

Dashboard Cameras

Many motorists now install dashboard cameras in their cars to record their driving. If they happen to be following the cars involved in an accident, that footage can go to support your claim.

Body-Worn Cameras

When the police respond to an accident, they might activate their body cameras to capture statements from all the parties involved. That can also be used in support of your claim.

In the moments after a crash, you can start to gather evidence. It is essential that you act quickly to preserve any relevant video evidence.

Here’s why:

• Automatic Overwriting: Many surveillance systems have limited storage. As a result, they will often delete old footage to make room for new footage. This typically happens around 30 days. That means the accident that is recorded today could be gone in a month unless you act to preserve the footage.
• Proof of Liability: Traffic camera footage often provides the most neutral, definitive evidence of what happened. It can also show any hazards that led to the crash. This will all help support your version of the accident.
• Preventing Spoilation: If you do not send a formal request to save the footage, businesses have no duty to keep it. When your attorney issues a letter of spoliation, it prevents that footage from being destroyed before you can make copies.
• Locating Hidden Cameras: Acting fast to preserve footage includes tracking down any relevant security footage. You’re also on a time crunch to get that footage before it is deleted.

• Preventing Alteration: Once you lock down the video footage of the accident, it can’t be altered. The longer it is left untouched, the greater the risk that the footage will be tampered with to make it inadmissible in court.

Securing critical video evidence is not always as easy as sending an email requesting a copy.

In many Bardstown accident cases, this footage can be controlled by private businesses, government agencies, or third parties. They are under no obligation to release that footage without proper legal authority.

You might not be able to present that authority, but the attorneys at McCoy & Hiestand, PLC can help you do so.

We have years of experience with issuing formal subpoenas to compel the production of relevant materials. That includes any relevant surveillance footage, traffic signal recordings, or surrounding video.

Unlike an informal request made by the accident victim, a subpoena carries legal weight. It requires delivery of that footage within a specified time frame.

In Kentucky, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim that involves a car accident is two years, and that time can go by fast, which is why we need to step in and get the process started as quickly as possible.

Along with obtaining the security footage, our legal team will also obtain all other pertinent evidence, such as the at-fault driver’s driving history. We will also collect your relevant medical records and proof of your lost income. All of this evidence helps to prepare a reasonable demand for compensation.

If you need help obtaining traffic camera footage or other evidence after a crash, the attorneys at McCoy & Hiestand, PLC are ready to step in. Call to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case today. Let’s get the process started.