Should I buy a dash cam with front and rear cameras?

Yes—if you can afford it and don’t mind a slightly more involved install, buy a front-and-rear dash cam. A front camera captures what you hit or what happens ahead; a rear camera adds valuable proof for rear-end crashes, tailgating, hit-and-runs from behind, and parking-lot incidents.

Choose front-and-rear if you:

1. Park on the street or in public lots often.
2. Drive in heavy traffic where rear-end crashes are common.
3. Want stronger evidence for insurance or police reports.
4. Keep your car long enough to justify the extra cost and wiring.

Choose front-only if you:

1. Want the cheapest, simplest setup.
2. Mostly need evidence for forward road incidents.
3. Lease, borrow, or frequently change vehicles.
4. Don’t want to route a cable to the rear window.

My practical recommendation: get a 2-channel front-and-rear kit with clear license-plate capture, decent night performance, loop recording, and a reliable memory card. If you also want parking protection, check that the model supports parking mode and understand whether it needs hardwiring or a separate battery pack.