Hit and Run but Dashcam Didn't Pick up Number Plate

Lwongfu on 09/02/2025 - 20:09
Last edited 09/02/2025 - 22:10

Hi everyone,

A grey Hyundai hatchback ran a red light hitting the front passenger side of our grey Honda HRV last Saturday night (01/02/25). They failed to stop so we weren’t able to get their details. I'm based in Northwest Sydney.

Unfortunately, there's so much glare on the number plate of the other car when we looked at our dashcam footage that you can't see anything.

We've tried playing around with video editors but have had no luck getting the number plate to be less glare-y. Our dash cam is a Viofo 119 v3 which has picked up number plates at night before but not this time.

Any ideas on how we can get the number plate to show better? We've been told by our insurer that without the other drivers details we need to pay an insurance excess of $1K and don't get a hire car for as long as the repairs to our car take.

Dashcam footage here: https://limewire.com/d/14c73a8b-37b2-45a4-97c5-c3053a9b9038#…

Photo of our car after the collision here: https://limewire.com/d/72bfd914-9501-4515-b2a9-2b31e20635b1#…

Thanks all!

Automotive Dash Camera

Comments

      • 7ekn00 on 11/02/2025 - 10:32
        +1

        Frame rate forces shutter speed, increased shutter speed = less motion blur and less light hitting the Sony IMX sensor ;)

        That is how these cheap dash cams function …

        But please explain how going from a shutter speed of 1/60 at 30FPS to 1/120 at 60FPS does not affect these things oh dash cam video expert!!!
        (hint: probably just a know it all photography nerd that has no clue about a video frame / sensor)

  • johno3456 on 10/02/2025 - 01:17
    +6

    All insurance co's i have dealt with require you to both be not a fault and to provide the other sides details (name, address etc).
    Otherwise, it costs your excess as they have no one to recover money from.
    Even when no one is involved once I had a tree drop a branch on the car and you have to pay excess. The same applies to hail damage. You are not at fault. You may be able to save your rating but not the excess.

    I am surprised that the cops will not provide more help, a hit and run is pretty serious offence even if you were only financially impacted.

    I have not watched the event but the insurance companies and Courts can apportion responsibility. It does not matter what a cop said.
    All drivers have a duty to avoid accidents, even those caused by crazies running a red light.

    • tenpercent on 11/02/2025 - 09:14
      +1

      they have no one to recover money from

      Yeah they do. All the people who pay insurance premiums and never claim anything. All the OP's previously paid premiums. They've got shed loads of money to cover it.

      • wongfu on 11/02/2025 - 12:46

        Exactly. It’s been set up for people to lose if you’ve been hit and run. I assumed it’s reasonable to prove a hit and run with either dashcam, CCTV or witnesses dashcam but guess not.

  • FullPrice on 10/02/2025 - 04:52
    +2

    Does NSW not have those ANPR cameras set up everywhere like we just got in WA?

    Cops could solve it in 5 minutes without leaving their desk.

    • tenpercent on 11/02/2025 - 09:15

      Yes. There's cameras at most major intersections in NSW now and all along highways/freeways. A few commenters here have suggested they are just live traffic monitoring and don't record. I am skeptical.

  • try2bhelpful on 10/02/2025 - 07:20
    +4

    Even if you had the number plate it might not help. My other half had a hit and run on his car. He memorised the number plate and told the cops. When the cops went around to the people they claimed the car had been stolen that morning. Weirdly enough a couple of days later the car turned up in their neighbourhood where they “found” it. The cops were trying to do the right thing but if there is nothing they can do if the car owner flat out lies.

    Some people coat their number plates with stuff that makes them hard to read. Usually a way of getting out of tolls that use cameras to detect cars without transponders.

    At least you have the footage if they ever track down the person involved.

    Best of luck

  • o53djz7qTPY4der on 10/02/2025 - 08:37
    +17

    The best thing about this forum post is the use of LimeWire.

    • Guybrush57 on 10/02/2025 - 09:21
      +1

      IKR! Who knew that was still a thing?

    • djkelly69 on 10/02/2025 - 09:36
      +6

      Can everybody pls seed so I can download OP's video? It is taking ages (cos I am on dialup).

      • jackspratt on 10/02/2025 - 14:01

        Limewire on dial-up - living like it's 2000 again. 😁

      • McFly on 10/02/2025 - 14:21
        +1

        … and then your mum picks up the phone to make a call just when it's almost downloaded.

  • IpGem on 10/02/2025 - 09:19

    The intersection must have a cctv hooked up somewhere?

    • jv on 10/02/2025 - 09:53
      +1

      why 'must' it ?

    • wongfu on 10/02/2025 - 11:41

      Well there’s an Ampol we thought the hit and run driver might’ve pulled into to get off Old Windsor Rd. They have plenty of CCTV but the police don’t think it’s worthwhile requesting it.

      • tenpercent on 11/02/2025 - 09:16

        Sounds like it might have been an off duty cop. Only half joking.

  • jv on 10/02/2025 - 09:52
    +1

    Sounds like it might have been a stolen vehicle.

    • McFly on 10/02/2025 - 14:22
      +1

      Surely you mean looks like.

      • jv on 10/02/2025 - 14:26
        -1

        I was listening to the audio and cc captions whilst driving to a client.

  • atymic on 10/02/2025 - 10:04
    +2

    Had the same thing happen to me on the M4 towards the Blue Mountains, dark spot in the road, hit and run at highway speed (took off the entire rear quarter, write off).
    I had dashcam footage, and a witness (truckie behind me saw it happen and tried to chase him down but wasn't fast enough). I called the trucking company and they put me in contact, unf it didn't have a dashcam, maybe there's a commercial vech in yours with a cam?

    Anyhow the police were utterly useless, didn't do shit despite there being toll and traffic cameras on the m4 🙄
    I now have an at fault claim on the insurance as that's how it works unless you get their details.

    • jv on 10/02/2025 - 10:29
      +1

      unless you get their details.

      Even with the details, some insurance companies wont clear the claim until after they recover the money.

  • jv on 10/02/2025 - 10:20
    -3

    I have access to an experimental AI image enhancer.

    Hope this helps…

    • TerryJustTerry on 10/02/2025 - 10:59
      +2

      Nah, thats too out of this world.

  • DazMon on 10/02/2025 - 11:17
    +2

    Wow I didn't know Limewire was still a thing?

    • Bruceflix on 10/02/2025 - 20:37
      +1

      I couldn't get the video to play..
      dashcam.avi.exe

  • AG_ACT on 10/02/2025 - 11:18
    -1

    Genuine question; how will the number plate help if you don't have Drivers Name and contact details. Don't insurance companies have that as a condition of claiming?

    • jv on 10/02/2025 - 11:27
      +7

      how will the number plate help if you don't have Drivers Name and contact details.

      Police will know.

      • Muppet Detector on 10/02/2025 - 20:58

        Police will know.
        But will they share?

        • jv on 10/02/2025 - 21:34

          The might with the insurance company.

  • trapper on 10/02/2025 - 12:41
    +9

    You're not at fault, but how on earth did you not avoid this collision? Seems like there was plenty of time to hit the brakes.

    • eddyah on 10/02/2025 - 14:28

      12am maccas run - concentrating on eating that soft serve icecream before it drips on your pants!

    • wongfu on 10/02/2025 - 16:44

      I’ve never been an accident and I’ve had my license for more than 14 years. Never had a fine either or demerit points. I usually drive defensively and had about two seconds here. I did start braking but yes I should’ve slammed on the brakes (note though it isn’t a turn with care for the other driver - they were running the red light recklessly not just running a late amber). The hit and run driver though wasn’t coming up a crest/blindspot yet still doesn’t react.

  • eddyah on 10/02/2025 - 14:30
    +3

    Give the insurance company all the details (video, police report, other witness info etc).

    You'll still have to pay the excess but it's up to insurance and police to figure out the identity of the car that did a runner (which is illegal).

    If they find the other driver, you'll get your excess back.

    Insurance 101.

    • Roney on 10/02/2025 - 19:11
      +1

      That was what the Op did to his youi insurance. As he had said, they didn't do anything apart from grabbing the excess money.

  • Dollar Dreamer on 10/02/2025 - 22:02

    There should be an 'Enhance' button somewhere in the video software. I see it in movies all the time.

  • Butt Scratcher on 10/02/2025 - 22:37
    +1

    Your best bet is to share the footage and details of the incident to the police and insurance. My guess is, you will have to pay the excess. But if insurance or police figures out who the driver is, they should refund the excess.

    On a side note, I'm kinda disappointed with my Viofo too. Just about all car number plates I drive past at night is like that

  • Gongxifachai on 10/02/2025 - 23:51
    -3

    Did he run a red light? He was probably turning right when it was green for him
    Why didnt he give way? Felt that it was slightly uphill when you approached the intersection so he may not have seen you..
    ie see how you only see him when you were close to the traffic light but not from the roundabout - it means that it was clear for him to right turn because he couldnt have seen you given the slope
    Anyway, think you were going a tad too fast
    While you have the "right of way", could have exercised caution when approaching an intersection and save yourself all the trouble
    Good luck

    • jackspratt on 11/02/2025 - 00:35
      +4

      Did he run a red light? He was probably turning right when it was green for him

      Have you ever seen a set of lights where the right turn arrow is red from one direction, and green from the other?

  • tenpercent on 11/02/2025 - 09:24
    +1

    Astronomers use this to combine multiple low quality pictures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registax

    This looks promising: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1802.06214

    This Iranian company promises to do what you need: https://nahannama.ir/blurring-removal-and-license-plate-reco…

    • AJW on 11/02/2025 - 11:45
      +1

      They would work if it were better quality video.
      If you go through the video frame by frame, the licence plate in each frame is just a white solid block.
      On later frames where the car is closer, there is so much movement captured that the white block becomes a rectangular block, but there is still no numbers even with the contrast adjusted.

    • harveyworld on 11/02/2025 - 12:02
      +1

      Thanks I will give these a try…

      I have a similar instant of a video of car that was used to commit a theft several years ago and was captured on a neighbours cctv. The vehicle image is very clear other than the light blocking out the number plate.
      I have saved the footage in the hope that one day I will be able to find applicable technology that will enable me to see the rego plate clearly.
      More for my own satisfaction than anything else…

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