5 Top Reasons To Get A Dashcam For Commercial Trucking
Dash cams were one of the electronics product categories with the fastest market growth in 2015. Fleets are utilizing their many benefits as they currently cover millions of drivers worldwide. This article will outline some of the significant benefits of dash cams for the trucking sector, including cost savings and increased safety.
What Is A Dashcam?
A dashboard camera, commonly known as a dashcam, is an onboard camera that automatically films the view via a driver’s front windscreen, rear, or other windows. It is also called a driving, event, event data recorder, or automobile digital video recorder (car DVR). Some dash cams have an inside 360-degree recording camera, typically shaped like a ball, and can wirelessly broadcast images and videos via 4G.
Over the years, truck dash cameras have grown in popularity. While driving, dash cams can capture every detail inside the vehicle and on the road. Using a dash cam in various circumstances has several advantages for truck drivers. There aren’t many good reasons not to put dash cams in your vehicle fleet.
In addition to their rising use as a tool to assist authorities in apprehending crash-for-cash scammers, dashcams also provide a number of additional advantages. Every aspect of business car insurance, from traffic accidents and parked vehicle accidents to the time it takes to register a complaint and the cost of your monthly premium, virtually all become much more manageable and less expensive. Driving would also improve, though, as they are less likely to drive carelessly or dangerously
Types Of Dashcams
Dashcams can be distinguished based on whether they have wires in the setup and what kind of storage path the camera uses to save the captured videos, and they are as follows:
- External Memory Card- Data from a dashcam that employs storage is stored locally inside the camera. You will have to transfer the data to a computer. You’ll eventually need to purchase additional memory cards. You could upload this video to the cloud as well.
However, using a manual procedure increases the possibility of missing or lost footage.
- Cloud Storage- Dashcams can also benefit from cloud storage. Some dashboard cameras can wirelessly sync video to the cloud if they are accessible via the internet. Therefore, maintaining Memory cards or removable media is not a concern for you. All you have to do is pay for cloud services, which anyone can do on their own or through a dashcam vendor.
- Wired- Dash Cams that are cloud-based and connected to the internet is known as “wireless” dashcams. Many dashcams on the market today require some cabling to draw power, even though they may advertise themselves as wireless.
Some dashboard cameras derive power from internal batteries but have a short recording time.
Why Should You Invest In A Dashcam?
It’s crucial to comprehend the fundamentals, such as how a dashcam operates, before making a corporate dashcam investment.
A standard commercial dash cam includes three essential parts: a video camera, hardwired power inputs, and integrated or detachable solid-state storage media.
The caliber of the footage, the presence of night vision, and low light sensors are crucial dashcam features. Additionally, the method used to store video footage can impact how quickly you can access it; using a memory card will slow down access while uploading to the cloud makes it immediately accessible. It’s also important to consider the dashcam’s viewing angles, including front, back, inside, and side views.
Top Reasons To Buy A Dash Cam
Outside of the essential road safety standards set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there are various grounds for believing in having a dashcam in your truck.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, dashcams for commercial vehicles are currently one of the most sought-after improvements to road safety because they provide so many benefits. The Consumer Technology Association predicts a 35 percent increase in dashcam sales in 2024.
So, should your company buy dash cams? Absolutely. Dash cams are a great concept for commercial fleets. Let’s look at the benefits of dash cameras.
Safety
Safety is always the top responsibility of a fleet. Every fleet wishes its employees to be secure for both the driver and the company. Artificial intelligence-enhanced trucking dash cams can monitor risky driving and driver behavior and inform the operator and asset supervisor as required. It can monitor abrupt braking, accelerating quickly, speeding, and swerving. They can even identify distractions while driving, like:
- Eating
- Phone usage
- Smoking
- Yawning
- Face hidden
- Not responsive
- Camera interference
- Unauthorized driving
No one likes their vehicle to be implicated in a careless driving accident because it cost over 3,000 lives in only 2019 alone.
According to the FMCSA, the average cost of a truck crash is around $91,000. An injury accident costs close to $200,000. Fortunately, dash cameras can aid in averting these fatalities.
Insurance Claims
Many insurance firms are interested in learning that fleet managers are taking precautions to keep their vehicles secure and, as a result, less risky to insure. For this purpose, they frequently give fleets with drivers’ truckers’ dash cams incentives and claims in case of an accident. Dash cameras on trucks make them less likely to be involved in collisions, which saves insurance cash. Additionally, if they are in an accident, they can use the dashcam to testify in their favor, which increases the likelihood that they will be found not at fault and that their insurance won’t have to pay out. Dash cameras offer advantages to insurance companies in either case, so they encourage drivers to utilize them.
Promoting Careful Driving And Training
By developing driver incentive programs, fleet managers could encourage traffic safety. The finest operators are sometimes recompensed and acknowledged appropriately with the help of these initiatives. Vehicle dash cams and feature-rich fleet management solutions make it simple for businesses to collect safety information on accidents, extreme steering, deceleration, and speeding. One can use this information as a tutoring tool for individuals who must make significant changes by seeing it as a driver evaluation.
Legal Witness
No matter how attentive a driver is, mishaps can happen. It’s just how transportation works. Dash cameras, fortunately, are always available to confirm whether a fleet operator is safeguarded.
Dash cameras can help to prove that 70% of fatalities are not the drivers’ responsibility. Dash cameras can clear drivers by providing a record of every event that occurred on the route and in the driver’s cabin at the moment of impact, demonstrating the driver was driving safely and revealing the valid reason for the collision. This video is essential since fleets must look for any means to lower accident costs, which can reach thousands and thousands of dollars.
Unattended Vehicle Safety
The majority of dashcams can be programmed to record even when the engine is off. You can keep a log of incidents when you’re out of the truck or while you nap in the vehicle. Whenever you return to the parked truck and discover a dent on the bumper, a dashcam is ideal since it allows you to review the footage and determine who did the damage. If you need to park your truck outside overnight, you may monitor it and ensure you can capture anyone who breaks in or violates it.
Things To Consider Before Buying A Dashcam
Choosing a dashcam for your fleet can be confusing. But here are a few factors you should consider:
Price
Prices may start at $40 and go as high as $500.
Brand
Every company has a somewhat different offering, so be aware of which elements are significant to you.
Lens Mounts
Numerous versions are compact enough to be clamped, or suction-cup placed on your windscreen. Once set, make sure the cam does not block your visibility.
Accelerometers
Some variants have motion sensors that detect when it stops or drives quickly.
Monitoring Time & Location
Some dash cams have a date and time stamp in addition to GPS-synchronized geotags that reveal the location of the video.
Microphone
Consider models with a mic because they may be beneficial, particularly if you’ve been learning.
Micro SD card Type
Whether it is a standard MicroSD card or a built-in sd card, the bulk of devices demands some memory card. Before buying your dashcam, you should determine the sort of card you require.
Matrack Dashcam- An Affordable And Powerful Solution
Matrack Dashcam is a camera with AI capabilities that can assist you to improve driving safety and avoid collisions. It is a dual-facing camera that captures both videos inside the cab and video while driving. It offers 1080p Hd videos, enabling you to capture every angle without skipping anything that might be significant evidence. Other features of Matrack include lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and D.U.I. Alerts, among others.
Why Choose Matrack?
- Two-Facing Cameras-The most thorough remote view of the truck is provided, with audible warnings to the driver. It guarantees your fleet the highest level of safety.
- Monitor Driver- Know immediately if the driver is texting, distracted, or smoking, and record pictures and videos.
- Watch for lane and collision warnings- Receive notifications when a car changes lanes without using its lane change indicator. Receive alerts when a collision is about to happen.
- Simple to Install and Use, No Commitments, Cancel at Any Time
The comprehensive reports are also available for download on the web. Understanding the driver’s requirements and areas of weakness can help you make the necessary improvements. Additionally, it will aid in the future development of the driver training course. In addition, you may take advantage of advanced features like geofencing, driver-driving behavior reports, tracking automobile conditions, and real-time position alerts.
Book a Demo Call today!
Dash cameras give everyone optimism for the future on top of everything else. Unsafe drivers will be identified, novice drivers can receive thorough instruction, and the insurance business won’t have to cope with crimes.