There is nothing more important than safety for truckers. In fact, truckers are required to carry their own operating licenses to fully ensure their safety, but even so, accidents happen.
Luckily, dash cams can remove the guesswork of what happened in an accident, which can protect you, as a truck driver, both legally and monetarily, all while expediting the process of filing insurance claims. While dash cams are a standard practice in the industry, you might still be wondering if dashcams are worth it for truckers.
Keep reading to find out the answer to this question.
What Is a Dash Cam For Truckers?
A dash cam is a single, dual or multi-facing camera system that is installed inside of a vehicle. Some dash cams only record the road ahead while others will also capture in-cab footage and video on either side of the truck.
There are also AI-dash cams, which can document the behavior of drivers. It is not mandatory for commercial trucks to have a dashcam installed, but some jurisdictions do impose restrictions, not only on the use of dashcams but regarding the placement as well.
However, truck dash cams are becoming the norm in regard to preventing accidents and identifying negligent driving. Let’s take a look at five benefits of using dash cams.
5 Benefits of a Dash Cam in Trucks
The National Transportation Safety Board recommends using onboard video systems, such as dashcams, in commercial vehicles. Here are five benefits of dash cams for truckers.
Driver Training
AI-powered dash cams use in-cab, driver-facing cameras to track driver behaviors and habits. This information is then either sent to a fleet manager or automatically graded by AI itself, resulting in a list of improvements and scores.
Although many electronic logging devices (ELDs) track driver behavior, including sudden braking and quickly accelerating, truck dash cams can let you see operators and their point of view on the road.
Legal Protection
It is widely assumed that a company is liable for its vehicles when they are involved in accidents. For owner-operators, this can be an extreme liability, but with dash cams, you will have footage to look at and provide as proof in the event of legal proceedings.
Faster Claims Process
In addition to the legal protection that a dash cam can provide, a truck dashcam eliminates ambiguities that can hold up the insurance claim process. With clear evidence captured with up to 4K video quality, claims can be resolved quickly. Even if the truck driver is at fault, the relevant clips of the dash cam footage can fast-track costly investigations.
Lower Insurance Rates
An increasing number of insurance providers offer discounts to commercial fleets that install and use dashcams. Carriers that use dashcams lighten the workload of their insurers, dash cams are a clear sign that vehicle safety is a priority.
Preventing Insurance Fraud
Since many people see companies as the liable party regardless of whether or not their driver is the one at fault, plenty of people will say that a truck driver hit them. Dash cams can remove any doubt of the party at fault.
So, Are Dash Cams Worth It?
Dash cams increase the transparency of drivers, both in terms of their actions and their inactions. The right dash cam can make drivers and fleets safer and more streamlined.
Although the upfront costs of the device and the installation process can pile up, especially for large fleets, the savings that dash cams can provide are innumerable. As an indisputable eyewitness, dash cams can exonerate innocent drivers and reduce your liability.
If you are a safety-conscious trucker or fleet operator, you should equip all trucks in your fleet with a dash cam. They are absolutely worth it for truckers.
FAQ
Every year, FreightWaves Ratings reviews the best dash cams for truckers on the market. Here are the best dash cams for truckers.
Even though the NTSB recommends that all trucks have dash cams installed in them, it is not a requirement.
Yes, many dash cam systems have audio, though not all of them do, so check the specs before you purchase any dash cam.
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