How To Preserve Crash Video in the Bronx (Stores, Buses, Traffic Cams)

What to Expect When Preserving Video Evidence in New York

After a car accident in the Bronx, everything can feel chaotic. You’re dealing with injuries, calls from insurance adjusters, maybe even a totaled car. 

But if there’s one thing that can make a huge difference in your case, it’s video. Footage from a corner bodega, an MTA bus, or a traffic camera can show exactly what happened. Here’s the catch. It’s often gone in just a few days if you don’t act quickly.

At Horn Wright, LLP, our Bronx personal injury attorneys help New Yorkers lock down vital crash footage before it disappears. If you’re involved in a Bronx car accident and need to secure video from a business, a bus, or a street cam, our Bronx personal injury attorneys know how to move fast and protect your rights.

Why Crash Video Footage Can Make or Break a Bronx Case

Video footage gives your case a backbone. It shows how the crash happened and who caused it. This can be the difference between full compensation and no compensation.

Without video, your case may come down to your word against theirs. In busy parts of the Bronx like Fordham or Castle Hill, accidents happen quickly. Witnesses may not stick around. Police reports might be vague or even wrong.

Crash video helps fill in those blanks. It can show:

• Traffic signals and light changes
• Driver speed and behavior
• Lane positions and impact points
• Pedestrian movement and timing
• Street conditions at the time of the crash

Once your attorney has the footage, they can use it to push back against low settlement offers. It also gives them leverage if the case goes to court.

Act Fast: Video Can Be Deleted in Days

Time is your enemy when it comes to preserving footage. Most sources don’t save recordings for more than a few days. In some cases, you only have 48 hours before it’s gone for good.

Here’s how fast video can disappear:

• Corner stores and laundromats: auto-delete after 3 to 7 days
• Apartment buildings and parking garages: 7 to 10 days
• MTA buses: footage may be overwritten in as little as 7 days
• NYC traffic cams: most do not record unless triggered by a city request

Don’t wait for insurance companies or police to track footage down. They usually don’t. If you think video might exist, get moving right away. Even a one-day delay can mean losing your best proof.

Identify All Likely Camera Sources Around the Crash Site

The Bronx is packed with cameras. You just need to know where to look. As soon as you’re able, return to the scene or ask someone you trust to check it out. Start taking photos and notes about potential video sources nearby.

Focus on:

• Businesses like gas stations, bodegas, beauty salons, or grocery stores
• Apartment complexes and private homes with doorbell or wall-mounted cameras
• Intersections with visible NYC traffic cams
• MTA buses or bus stops nearby

Let’s say your crash happened near East Tremont and Southern Boulevard. You might find at least two storefront cameras, one MTA bus passing by, and a DOT traffic camera at the light.

Write down business names and addresses. Take photos of camera positions. Note whether they point toward the street. Every detail helps your attorney send requests to the right places.

Request Store or Business Camera Footage Immediately

Once you know which businesses may have video, reach out fast. The best way is to go in person and speak to the owner or manager. Be polite, brief, and clear about what you’re asking for.

Say something like:

"Hi, I was involved in a car accident right outside your store on Monday around 3:15 PM. I noticed your cameras might have caught it. Would you be willing to save that footage so I can get a copy or have my lawyer follow up?"

You may get a yes. You may get a no. Either way, don’t argue. If they say yes, thank them and let your attorney take it from there. If they say no or seem unsure, your lawyer can issue a formal preservation letter.

Important points:

• Always ask before the store’s system auto-erases
• Provide the exact date and time
• Don’t assume police have already collected it
• Offer to connect them with your legal team

Even if the store won’t hand over the footage, a formal letter may keep them from deleting it until a subpoena arrives.

Preserve MTA Bus Camera Footage if a Bus Was Involved

MTA buses in New York City are equipped with cameras inside and outside the vehicle. If a bus hit your car or was nearby at the time of the crash, that video could show key moments from a wide angle.

Here’s how to try to preserve that footage:

1. Note the bus number, route, and time of the incident
2. File a request immediately through the MTA customer claims portal
3. Ask your attorney to send a formal preservation notice

Buses don’t hold footage for long. Most systems overwrite automatically within 7 to 10 days. Once it’s gone, there’s no way to get it back.

Also note: Just requesting video doesn’t guarantee you’ll receive it. Legal action may still be needed. But getting the preservation process started fast gives you a fighting chance.

Understand What NYC DOT Traffic Cameras Can and Cannot Do

Many crash victims think traffic cameras are always recording. That’s not the case in New York City. Most DOT cameras are for live monitoring, not storage.

Here’s what to know:

• DOT traffic cams are installed at major intersections across the Bronx
• Most do not retain footage unless prompted by law enforcement
• You can’t access them directly without a formal legal process

If police respond to your accident, they may file a request to retain camera data. But if the crash was minor or didn’t cause serious injury, they may not take that step.

Your best bet is to act fast with legal help. Your attorney can submit a preservation request and contact city agencies before footage vanishes.

Use a Lawyer to Send Legal Preservation Letters

Preservation letters are critical. These formal legal notices tell a business or agency that you are pursuing a claim and that they must hold onto relevant evidence, including video.

Once a preservation letter is received:

• The business or public agency has legal notice of the video’s importance
• Deleting the footage afterward could be seen as evidence destruction
• It strengthens your ability to subpoena the footage if needed

Your attorney can send multiple letters to all likely video sources near the crash site. In some cases, just receiving that letter makes the difference. It can convince a hesitant store manager or agency to cooperate.

This process works best when started early. The more time that passes, the harder it gets to find and protect helpful footage.

Document and Back Up Any Video You Get

If you do get access to footage, either personally or through your attorney, treat it like crucial evidence. You’d be surprised how often important video files get lost or corrupted.

Protect your crash footage by:

• Making backup copies on USB drives and cloud storage
• Avoiding edits, filters, or compression
• Logging who provided the footage, when, and how
• Storing it securely and sharing only with your legal team

Never post accident footage on social media. Insurance companies monitor online platforms and may use clips against you. Keep it private until your lawyer needs it in negotiations or trial.

Don’t Rely Only on Video. Pair It With Medical and Witness Evidence

Even the best video won’t cover every part of your story. Footage often shows the crash itself, but not what happened afterward—how badly you were hurt, how much work you missed, or how your life changed.

That’s why your attorney will combine video with:

• Medical records from BronxCare, Montefiore, or other hospitals
• Statements from eyewitnesses who saw the crash or aftermath
• Photos of vehicle damage, injuries, and the accident scene

Video supports your claim, but it doesn’t replace the rest of the picture. The more complete your case, the better your chances for fair compensation.

If your injuries are connected to broader trauma, you may benefit from exploring your legal rights under other claims. 

Bronx Crash Videos Don’t Wait, Neither Should You

When you’re dealing with the impact of a car crash, it’s easy to focus on what’s right in front of you—pain, paperwork, calls from the insurance company. But video evidence fades fast. If you think a camera might have caught what happened, act immediately. That footage could be the most powerful part of your case.

At Horn Wright, LLP, our Bronx injury accident lawyers help New Yorkers secure and preserve critical crash footage before it disappears. Whether your accident happened near Yankee Stadium or on a quiet Bronx side street, we know how to protect your rights and get the evidence you need to recover what you’ve lost.