Dashcam Footage Helps Rochester Driver Trace Hit-and-Run
Drivers with dashcams can use recorded video and a plate number to identify a hit-and-run vehicle and support an insurance claim.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Auto Parts
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A Rochester, N.Y. driver whose car was hit on I-490 West was able to identify the other driver after capturing the collision on a dashcam and tracing the license plate to a workplace. New York State Police ticketed the driver, and no injuries were reported.
Why it matters
Dashcam footage is increasingly the evidence that moves a minor collision from a he-said, she-said dispute to a claim an insurer can process. For Rochester drivers, keeping footage and noting plate numbers can speed resolution after a hit-and-run.
The black Honda struck the side of Wilkins' car while he was merging onto I-490 West, and the other driver was ticketed by New York State Police. Wilkins identified the vehicle ten days after the crash, when it was parked outside his workplace during a job interview.
The players
Grafton Wilkins
A Rochester driver whose dashcam recorded the collision and who tracked down the other vehicle.
New York State Police
The state law enforcement agency that received the footage and ticketed the other driver.
The details
Wilkins posted his initial dashcam footage on several platforms under the account @peapantalonas. He then recorded a new video of the car, which showed damage all around, and obtained its VIN to confirm the vehicle. He reported the incident and the footage to New York State Police, and he handed the other driver his phone so the driver could take a call from his insurance adjuster.
Timeline
Two weeks before the article: black Honda hits Wilkins' car on I-490 West.
Ten days after the crash: the other driver attends a job interview at Wilkins' workplace.
One week before the article: Wilkins matches the license plate to the car parked there.
The Home Front
Consumer dashcam footage has become a common source of evidence in collision claims, giving drivers a way to document hit-and-run incidents that once depended on witnesses. This Rochester case fits that pattern of owners using personal recordings to hold other drivers accountable.
If your car is involved in a collision, save any dashcam footage and note the other vehicle's plate number and any identifying damage as soon as it is safe. Contact your insurer promptly and provide the footage, since a clear record can move a claim forward faster.
The takeaway
Keeping dashcam footage and the other driver's plate number can make a hit-and-run claim far easier to resolve. Store a copy of the video somewhere separate from the camera so it is available when your insurer asks for it.
Further reading
For related coverage on vehicle components and repair, see Auto Parts in Rochester.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WHEC.
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