A driver hits you and leaves. You did not get the plate. A few years ago, that often ended the case.
Today, license plate reader cameras, store cameras and doorbell cameras record much of what happens on the road. The problem is that most of this video is deleted on a schedule. This guide shows how to act before it is gone.
For background on Flock and how these cameras work, see Flock cameras: do they actually save lives?
Who owns the camera decides who gets the footage
| Camera type | Who controls the data | How you usually get it |
|---|---|---|
| Flock or other license plate reader (police) | The police or sheriff’s agency | Through the police investigation. Later, a subpoena or court order in a lawsuit. |
| Flock or license plate reader (HOA, store, business) | The HOA or business | Ask them to keep it. Police can request it. A subpoena in a lawsuit. |
| Store, gas station and business security cameras | The business | Ask right away. Many will let police copy it. A written preservation letter helps. |
| Doorbell cameras (Ring, Nest and others) | The homeowner | Knock and ask. Homeowners can share clips directly. |
| Red-light cameras (California) | The city or agency | Limited. California law makes these records confidential and limits their use to enforcement. |
| Dashcams of other drivers, buses, rideshare cars | The driver or company | Witness outreach. Transit agencies take written requests. |
The first 24 hours
- Call 911 from the scene. Get medical care first. Then make sure a police report is made.
- Give every detail you remember. Partial plate, even one or two characters. Color, make, body type. Damage, stickers, roof racks, a missing mirror. Direction of travel and the time. License plate readers can search by vehicle features, not only by plate.
- Ask the officer to check license plate readers and nearby cameras. Write down the officer’s name and the report number.
- Photograph the scene and debris. Broken parts often carry part numbers that point to a make, model and year.
- Look for cameras. Note every store, gas station, apartment building and doorbell camera that faces the road. Take a photo of each one.
- Get witness names and phone numbers. Ask if anyone had a dashcam running.
California uninsured motorist rule: If the driver is never found, your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay. For a hit-and-run, California requires a police report within 24 hours of the crash and physical contact between the vehicles (Insurance Code section 11580.2). Do not wait.
The first week
- Go back to the businesses and homes you photographed. Ask them to save video from 30 minutes before to 30 minutes after the crash. Many systems overwrite video within days.
- Send written preservation requests. A lawyer can send letters to the police agency, to any HOA or business that runs license plate readers, and to businesses with cameras. The letter asks them to keep the data and not delete it on schedule.
- Follow up with the investigating officer. Ask if a suspect vehicle was identified. Ask for the report when it is ready.
- Notify your insurance company. California requires a sworn statement to your insurer within 30 days for a hit-and-run uninsured motorist claim. Talk to a lawyer before you give a recorded statement.
The first month and after
- Get the police report. In California, people involved in a crash, their representatives and insurers can usually get the collision report.
- Do not expect a public records request to work for raw plate data. In 2017 the California Supreme Court held that raw license plate reader data is exempt from public disclosure (ACLU Foundation of Southern California v. Superior Court, 3 Cal.5th 1032).
- If police identify the driver, the claim may go against that driver’s insurance.
- If they do not, a lawsuit against an unknown “Doe” driver can allow subpoenas for camera records. Whether a police agency must release license plate data to a civil litigant is not settled in California. Expect objections. A court order may be needed.
- Watch the deadlines. In California, an injury lawsuit generally must be filed within 2 years (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). For an uninsured motorist claim, within 2 years you must file suit against the uninsured driver, reach an agreement with your insurer, or formally start arbitration (Insurance Code section 11580.2(i)). Other states have different rules.
What if the camera shows the wrong car?
It happens. In 2026 a Florida woman spent 13 days in jail after troopers relied on a Flock image of a car of the same model but a different color. A camera image is a lead. It must be matched to the crash by damage, paint, debris, time and witnesses. Insurers also know this and may dispute a plate-only identification. Read more: when license plate camera evidence is wrong.
Checklist: save this
- Police report number and officer name
- Partial plate and vehicle description, written down the same day
- Photos of the scene, debris and every nearby camera
- Witness names and phone numbers
- Preservation letters sent within days (police, HOAs, businesses)
- Sworn statement to your insurer within 30 days (California hit-and-run UM claims)
- Medical records and bills
How long each type of camera keeps video: camera footage deadlines after an accident. How police investigate: how police find hit-and-run drivers in California.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request Flock camera footage myself?
Usually no. Flock data belongs to the agency, HOA or business that owns the camera. Ask police to check it, and have a lawyer send a written request to keep it.
How fast is license plate camera data deleted?
Flock’s default is 7 days. Many agencies keep data for 30 days, and some longer. Data saved for an active investigation can be kept longer.
Can police find a car without the full plate?
Often, yes. License plate reader systems can search partial plates and vehicle features such as color, type and damage, within a time and place.
Do I need a police report for a hit-and-run insurance claim?
In California, yes, for an uninsured motorist claim. The crash must be reported to police within 24 hours, and a sworn statement must go to your insurer within 30 days.
Can store owners refuse to give me video?
Yes. A private business does not have to hand video to you. Many will share it with police or keep it if asked in writing. In a lawsuit, it can be subpoenaed if it still exists.
General information, not legal advice about your case. Laws differ by state. Every case is different. Call us to talk about yours.