6 Benefits of Using a Truck Dash Cam

Equipping your truck or fleet with new tech can feel like another hurdle. But in the current trucking world, dash cams are rapidly becoming essential.

They offer significant advantages for drivers facing various on-road challenges. This guide outlines the top 6 benefits a truck dash cam provides and covers the crucial features to look for during your purchase.

Running a trucking operation, whether large or small, comes with unique challenges and significant risks.

Businesses dependent on commercial trucks constantly navigate hazards that endanger drivers and disrupt critical logistics. Problems such as driver fatigue (a key compliance concern), careless driving, and unsafe events like sudden stops can result in serious collisions and expose your company to substantial liability.

Through clear video documentation of driving performance and incidents, truck dash cams enable better driver coaching, help avoid accidents, provide crucial evidence to refute false claims, and ultimately lead to safer, smoother transport operations.

This article will discuss the advantages of implementing truck dash cam systems and illustrates how they safeguard your drivers, other road users, your valuable assets (trucks and cargo), and your bottom line.

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Dash cam for truck fleets vs cars: What’s the difference?

Commercial-grade dash cams offer crucial advantages over consumer models for company vehicles.

They’re purpose-built with robust designs and fleet management capabilities to meet the demands of the transportation industry.

These features, including superior video quality, enhanced durability, greater storage, compliance tools, and extended recording times, are often lacking in consumer dash cams.

Dash cams are cameras mounted on a truck’s dashboard, offering either an interior view focused on the driver, an exterior view of the road, or both.

They typically connect to the vehicle’s power source and record footage onto an SD card or other memory device.

Some truck dash cams record continuously from the moment the vehicle starts, while others, particularly inward-facing models, activate only when a safety incident or potential hazard is detected.

Businesses considering dash cam implementation will generally encounter two main types of solutions.

a. Stand-alone dash cams are primarily forward-facing, though advanced models offer dual lenses to record in-cab activity.

These cameras can also be mounted on the side or rear of a vehicle for broader coverage.

Their main function is recording video to help determine faults in accidents.

b. Telematics-based truck dash cam systems, while also documenting accidents, provide more robust fleet management capabilities.

They track unsafe driving events like speeding, harsh braking, and aggressive acceleration or cornering, providing video footage for review and driver coaching.

Advanced telematics systems even leverage AI to identify distracted or fatigued driving.

Image: Kocchi’s LTE 4G Fleet Dashcams

In essence, dash cam technology acts as a silent observer, meticulously recording vehicle and driver activity to provide crucial evidence in case of accidents or unsafe driving practices.

Let’s explore these benefits further.

The compelling case for investing in dash cams for your truck fleet is reinforced by significant statistics highlighting their impact on safety and cost reduction.

According to the NSTSCE Guidance Document on Onboard Safety Monitoring Technologies, a staggering 87% of commercial crashes are attributed to driver errors that could have been prevented, underscoring the urgent need for solutions that address driver behavior.

Dash cams provide a powerful tool in this effort, directly impacting these preventable incidents.

Studies, such as the one documented by the National Institutes of Health, show a remarkable 60% decrease in the frequency of collisions when dash cams are utilized.

This substantial reduction translates not only to increased safety for drivers and the public but also to significant cost savings for businesses.

Furthermore, research also indicates an impressive 86% decrease in costs associated with accidents when dash cams are implemented.

This substantial reduction encompasses expenses related to repairs, insurance premiums, legal fees, and lost productivity.

These statistics, readily available from reputable sources, clearly demonstrate the potential of dash cams to transform fleet safety and contribute significantly to a healthier bottom line.

Figuring out who is at fault after a crash can be hard and take a long time, even for experts. Usually, police and others look at what witnesses say, but this can be unclear, unfair, or even wrong.

If the crash site is changed, like cars moved off the road, key proof might be lost, making it tougher to judge what happened. Dash cams help by showing the whole truth.

They record what happened without any bias.

This cuts out the need to trust clashing stories and speeds up knowing who is at fault.

Video: Kocchi’s Truck Fleet Dashcam

Dash cams can also show deeper issues needing fixes. With clear proof, they make claims faster and lower costs for checks and legal stuff.

Unsafe driving actions like speeding, following too close, sudden braking, using phones while driving, or driving while tired cause many crashes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says these acts are behind most car accidents. Such crashes can lead to lawsuits, work delays, and high medical bills.

Dash cams using telematics help keep fleets safe by tracking and fixing bad driving before crashes happen.

Old-style telematics systems gather info on how drivers act and keep cars working, save it briefly, then send it to a main system to study. This info gives useful clues, such as…

• The speed of a vehicle

• The location of a vehicle

• The movement patterns of a vehicle

• Instances of aggressive acceleration, harsh braking and erratic cornering

• Distracted driving incidents (e.g., smartphone usage)

• Diagnostics data related to fuel efficiency and vehicle performance

Telematics gives data about unsafe driving, but adding dash cams adds visual proof.

Together, they show a full picture of how drivers act, helping companies fix specific issues.

For instance, if telematics flags hard braking, checking the dash cam footage can explain why and show if coaching is needed.

Even small things like not wearing seat belts can be caught and fixed. This wide approach stops small issues from growing into big problems.

Image: Kocchi’s LTE 4G Fleet Dashcams Portal

Just like watching game replays in sports, firms can use telematics and dash cams to study real driving events. Instead of only depending on Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs), which might miss details, companies get a better way to check and improve driver safety. This is helpful since MVRs may not show all facts about a driver’s record.

By collaborating with drivers to review and address specific behaviors, fleet managers can cultivate a stronger safety culture, enhance driver skills, and ultimately prevent accidents.

Beyond incident recording, dash cams play a key role in supporting drivers and promoting retention.

Their presence signals a company’s investment in driver safety.

For newer operators, dash cam footage provides invaluable, real-world training scenarios, fostering skill development and engagement.

Investing in safety is crucial in the face of a severe driver shortage, a situation the American Trucking Associations (ATA) warns is likely to intensify.

Fewer available drivers can lead to demanding schedules for the current workforce, heightening the risk of fatigue and accidents.

Compounding this, the need to onboard drivers quickly may mean hiring those with limited experience.

Dash cams are essential in managing this increased risk, offering targeted support and coaching to help less experienced drivers operate safely and efficiently, thereby controlling associated costs.

Hard braking harms the truack, wearing out brake pads, rotors, and other parts faster.

The extra strain from quick stops can also hurt the suspension, tires, and even the engine over time.

Using dash cams with a tracking system solves this problem.

When hard braking happens, the system gives a quick voice alert to the driver. This real-time warning helps drivers spot and fix rough driving habits, leading to gentler braking and smoother driving.

This way, drivers can cut down on wear and tear, save on repairs, and make the vehicles last longer.

This smart care plan also saves money by cutting downtime and getting more value out of your cars.

Though it may not seem clear at first, dash cams can lower labor costs in many ways.

Tools like driver safety scorecards and coaching videos help your office workers train drivers better and faster.

This cuts down on time and effort spent on old coaching ways, freeing up your team for other jobs.

Also, dash cams help set up driver reward programs.

Praising safe drivers boosts their mood and keeps them on the job. Fewer drivers leaving means less money spent on hiring and training new ones.

By valuing safety and good driving, dash cams help cut costs tied to driver turnover and training.

Every trucker knows insurance claims impact their rates.

Dash cams offer essential protection by recording exactly what happened in an accident. This video evidence ensures fairness in determining fault and prevents unwarranted claims against your record.

Providing footage significantly smooths out and accelerates the claims process.

The transparency a dash cam brings protects your MVR/CDL standing, helps control insurance costs, and is your best tool against fraudulent accusations.

Dash cams bring many benefits, but there are things to keep in mind when using them.

Drivers may worry about their privacy or being punished. Showing how dash cams can keep them and their families safe can help ease those concerns.

Talking about how they can reward good driving can also make them feel better.

Dash cams alone are not enough. They need follow-up, like coaching and studying the data they collect. When used with other tools, they can help fix risky driving habits.

Setting clear rules for using dash cams is key. This means explaining why the system is needed, what drivers must do, what managers handle, how training happens, and how data will be used.

These rules can fit into current plans or be made just for dash cams, giving clear steps for both drivers and managers.

The potential of truck dash cams can transform fleet safety and contribute significantly to a healthier bottom line.

As we’ve discussed, dash cams offer compelling advantages for businesses. Explore this previously writen in-depth article on the guide of truck dash cams.

So, are you ready to explore how dash cams can revolutionize your fleet operations and contribute to a safer, more efficient, and ultimately more profitable future for your business?