The trucking industry sure doesn’t look like it used to. One area where that’s increasingly evident is the increased use of technology, like dash cameras being deployed by trucking companies. The use of dash cameras can impact so many different parts of trucking: your insurance, driver training, and overall safety. Deciding whether or not you should use dashboard cameras can be an expensive, challenging endeavor, though it isn’t a process without its benefits. More and more, drivers and trucking companies are using dash cameras, and it’s crucial to think about why that is the case.
Insurance Rates and Claims
By installing dash cams, trucking companies can show that they take fleet safety seriously. That may even mean discounts from insurance companies if you show proof of installation. This is because a safer driver is able to back up their safety claims by using a dash cam, thus putting them in a situation to lower their insurance rates.
It can also help when making insurance claims. Clear video evidence reduces the reliance on “he said, she said” types of disputes and can help insurance claims go through quicker. That footage may mean less time on the phone with insurance companies and more time focusing on the road.
Protecting Drivers
Dash cams allow trucking companies to gather data on their drivers and use them in positive ways. For example, a company could take in data about braking, acceleration, and collisions and then use that data to populate some kind of driver scorecard, which could incentivize safer drivers. Be transparent in this process and let drivers know that this system is meant to help make their job safer and easier.
In another sense, protecting drivers means shielding them when they’re innocent, and there is a claim surrounding a collision. False claims can sometimes end up putting a driver’s CDL in jeopardy, so this is very important. Dash cam footage can exonerate a driver and keep them in the clear.
Better Driver Training
No driver is perfect. Fleet managers are taking advantage of dash cams as a method of improving their training systems. Dash footage can be used to create training materials, showing situations where something went wrong that can then be used to demonstrate what should have been done instead. Evidence-based training like this helps drivers see real-world examples of their training working out.
For All Your Trucking Needs
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