Benefits of Vehicle Cameras for Fleet Management

Vehicle cameras are rapidly becoming a popular fleet management tool. The devices capture video footage of road incidents and provide helpful data for insurance claims, DOT compliance, and other purposes.

Cameras mounted to the front windshield can record high-quality footage of what’s happening on the road. They also offer driver assistance features like lane departure warnings and parking mode monitoring.

Increased Accountability

Disputes and allegations can be settled much faster through hard, clear video evidence. This is a huge benefit to any fleet business, especially those that are dependent on timely delivery services.

Vehicle cameras usually consist of a single camera mounted to the windshield with a forward view, or dual-camera systems that include front and rear-facing lenses for a full 360-degree view. Most are easy to use and activate automatically when the vehicle ignition is turned on. They record and save footage, automatically overwriting old clips with new ones as they are created.

Many drivers may feel a bit uncomfortable or upset by the thought of their every move being recorded throughout their workday. This is something that you will need to weigh carefully when considering these types of solutions.

Better Fleet Management

Fleet managers can quickly review and coach drivers through video alerts that triggered by critical events, such as accidents or speeding. This helps reduce liability risk and frivolous lawsuits while boosting safety and productivity.

A high quality dash cam with AI can recognize driving behavior, such as distracted driving, and provide feedback to the driver to encourage positive behaviors. It can also establish a driver scorecard, which rewards the best performers, fostering a stronger culture of accountability and compliance within an entire fleet operation.

Smart telematics with cameras allow you to monitor fuel consumption, idling time and more, which can save two percent or more of your overall operating costs. This helps you stay competitive and lower your insurance rates.

Reduced Risk of Collisions

Rear-end collisions are the most common type of accident and can have catastrophic results. Vehicle camera systems can help reduce the number of these accidents by making it easier for drivers to see what is behind them.

In a study with rear-view camera-equipped vehicles, researchers added an audible warning to the sensor system when detecting an object in their blind spot. The results showed that drivers tended to glance at the camera after hearing the audible alert.

This suggests that, when paired with an audible warning system, rear-view cameras may mitigate backing crashes. This could save fleets from expensive repairs and claims. It could also make insurance rates more affordable, as insurers may offer discounts for fleets with these features.

Prevention of Theft and Vandalism

Generally, these cameras are mounted to the windscreen of a vehicle and capture high-quality footage from the front. They can be simple dashboard cameras or a more complex system that includes multiple cameras fitted inside and outside of a vehicle.

While preventing theft and vandalism is difficult, installing cameras, parking work vehicles in safe locations, using tracking devices and training employees can help reduce the risk. Some security cameras also come with alarms that can deter tampering and notify law enforcement. Most have the option to stay on overnight, recording for 24-hours. Some also have two-way audio and a built-in GPS for easy retrieval of footage.

Lower Insurance Rates

In addition to protecting your fleet from car accidents, a dash cam can help prevent insurance fraud. He-said she-said car insurance claims can be resolved much faster when the insurer has access to video footage of motor vehicle incidents. This can save your business a lot of money on expensive lawsuits and unnecessary car insurance payouts.

A dash cam also helps identify staged accidents, which can drain a fleet’s finances by requiring a lengthy and costly legal battle or unnecessary payout. Some insurance providers offer discounts to drivers with dash cams in their commercial vehicles. Branch Insurance, for example, recently partnered with Nextbase to offer an 8% savings on insurance premiums to their customers that install a dash cam in their vehicles.

Better Privacy

In-vehicle cameras allow fleet managers to track the actions of their drivers without compromising their privacy. In addition, the cameras can prevent scammers from extorting money from employees for accidents they didn’t cause.

These cameras are easy to set up, can record in daytime or nighttime environments, and provide clear footage for insurance claims or police investigations. Some models even upload recordings to the cloud.

Some camera systems, like the 4K dash cam from Vava, also include a rear view camera to prevent car break-ins and theft. While this type of surveillance might upset some privacy-minded teens, it can open a conversation about privileges, responsibilities, and trust.