Over the past decade, there has been an alarming increase in “nuclear verdicts” — jury awards of more than $10 million, often stemming from wrongful death or personal injury lawsuits. And businesses with fleets of vehicles are particularly vulnerable. By investing in fleet dashcams, business owners can monitor and improve their company drivers’ performances and significantly reduce the risk of crashes, injuries, and lawsuits.
What are fleet dashcams?
Fleet dashcams are video recording systems installed in commercial vehicles to provide real-time information on company drivers, road incidents, and more. Dashcams can be forward-facing only (just filming the road) or have multiple camera angles. Companies that wish to closely monitor driver behavior will want to choose a dashcam system that can film both the road ahead and the driver behind the wheel.
Most fleet dashcam systems are connected to the Cloud, which means that even if the camera is damaged, the data will still be accessible.
Five important benefits of fleet dashcam systems.
Fleet dashcams offer many benefits to businesses seeking to save money and reduce risk and liability, including:
- Improved driver safety and performance. Fleet dashcams can capture evidence of bad habits, like distracted driving, driving while drowsy, harsh braking, and more. Some systems also allow for real-time alerts to drivers, which can help prevent accidents.
- Effective driver coaching. If used tactfully, dashcam footage can be a valuable coaching tool, allowing managers to highlight areas of improvement and then offer incentives for better performance.
- Reduced liability and legal damages. Dashcam footage can provide evidence of exactly what happened in an accident, establishing fault and helping to exonerate your business and drivers in a lawsuit. This may help you avoid a nuclear verdict that could bankrupt your company.
- Expedited insurance claims. Using fleet dashcam footage to show the circumstances of a traffic incident and document damage can streamline the payment of insurance claims.
- Enhanced security. Fleet dashcam systems can track the location of your company’s vehicles (through GPS capabilities) and deter theft with video monitoring.
With all these benefits, an investment in a fleet dashcam system can go a long way toward protecting your business, your drivers, and your bottom line. For full protection, make sure you have commercial auto insurance coverage for all your company vehicles.
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