Should Your Commercial Vehicle Fleet Use Dash Cams?
Should Your Commercial Vehicle Fleet Use Dash Cams?
You may have many questions when trying to determine if your commercial vehicle fleet or collection of semi-trucks need dash cams. Should you invest in these small devices to monitor drivers in the cab and the road around your fleet for potential accidents?
The short answer? Yes! If you need further evidence that dash cams are unequivocally a good idea, the National Transportation Safety Board states that dash cameras on commercial vehicles are one of their most highly sought after road safety improvements. In their opinion, fleet monitoring systems are an essential tool in reducing accidents, preventing fraud, and saving lives on the road. With all of those things being accomplished, it also equals more money in the fleet company’s bottom line. That money can be used by businesses to upgrade and maintain their fleet while growing their company.
Dash Cam Benefits
There are a multitude of benefits in store for fleet owners who outfit their vehicles with dash cams. We’ll break down each benefit below, so you can decide if it makes sense for you.
A “Silent witness” – An honest and impartial record of the accident, both in and outside the vehicle
Fraud Prevention – Gain useful evidence when your driver is involved in a “crash for cash” scam
Improved driving habits/behaviours – Camera systems keep your drivers accountable and provide a useful tool for your driver trainers and the drivers themselves to use to improve performance on the road
Accident Evidence and Potentially Faster Fleet Insurance Claims
Obtaining accident evidence and faster processing of fleet insurance claims are likely the main reasons anyone would consider a dash cam for their organization. Accident evidence is crucial to defeating faulty claims and proving innocence for your trained fleet drivers. Dash cams are the absolute best witness to accidents on the road, as they’re always watching and waiting in case of a collision. The often long and drawn out insurance claims process is generally sped up when a dash cam video is part of the case. This can settle the matter faster and take less of your time away from operating your business. Not to mention you might see fewer migraines! One day we can hope that American auto insurers start offering discounts to proactive fleets and drivers who have dash cams, as insurers in Canada and the United Kingdom are currently doing. It’s always best to be ahead of the trend than behind, however.
Prevent and Combat Accident Fraud on the Road
Across the world, drivers are confronted with insurance scams, driver fraud, and more. This is especially true when it comes to personal vehicles versus commercial fleet vehicles. Due to scammer knowledge that fleet vehicles have a company (with money) behind them, these kinds of vehicles are targeted more frequently than an average family sedan.
One tactic that’s been growing in prominence in the U.S. is a “crash for cash” scam in which the offending driver passes a large, slow breaking commercial truck and slams on their breaks to cause an accident. These types of wrecks were once extremely hard to discredit or defend your drivers from, but fleet dash cams are the ultimate defense! Dash cams are the ultimate impartial witness to thwart a would-be highway scam artist, and they’ll bring your entire fleet peace of mind on the road.
Foster and Improve Fleet Driver Behavior
We know that having a team you can trust is essential to running a business right. That’s why you hire trustworthy people to drive your vehicles and offer proper training to make sure they’re the best drivers they can be. At the end of the day though, having a little extra protection for your expensive vehicles and cargo is always a good idea.
With a dash cam system in your fleet, there’s an instant level of caution added to your team of drivers. When the road and inside of the cab are always monitored just in case of trouble, anyone driving the fleet truck, van, or another vehicle will likely drive more defensively and pay a little bit more attention.
These natural behavioral changes could end up saving you money and keeping your fleet on the road more often without trouble
