Are you wondering how a video dash cam affects drivers? We have answers to help guide you!
It is common for drivers to be sceptical about video dash cams before they understand how having one in their vehicle can benefit them. It is also common for drivers to get on board once they learn about and experience the benefits for themselves.
If your company has recently installed—or is considering implementing—video dash cams, you probably have some questions about what dash cams do and how it will affect your job. If you like straight answers and information about what you can expect, you have come to the right place.
How do video dash cams benefit drivers?
Dash cams are beneficial tools that can provide:
- Exoneration from wrongful claims. When you are not at fault in an event, video and data help to protect you from wrongful blame.
- The truth of what happened. Video shows the clear, objective facts of events so that everyone can learn what really happened. This protects you from bias.
- The opportunity to develop safer driving skills. Video dash cams will capture evidence of risky driving to help you improve—as well as capture evidence of safe driving to help reward you. An important component of dash cams is to provide opportunities for coaching to help you become an even better driver.
- Alerts to keep you safe. Intelligent video dash cams can identify risky driving behavior and alert you to course correct, so you avoid causing a preventable incident.
By providing these important benefits, video dash cams can help safeguard your driving record while helping to ensure you get home safe at the end of the day. They can also help to make your job less stressful and more enjoyable.
More benefits to drivers
Other benefits provided by video telematics include:
Providing an objective witness during an event. Video always tells the truth about what happens during an event. This can protect you from blame when an event was not your fault—and if you were at fault, it can help you to recognize and change your behavior to keep yourself and others safe in the future.
Coverage even when your vehicle is unattended. A road-facing lens captures the area ahead of your cab, including events that occur when your vehicle is unattended. Have you ever returned to your truck and found damage that happened while you were away? It can be hard to convince your boss that it was not your fault. With video proof, the events captured can prove you are telling the truth.
Protection from the inside out. An in-cabin lens can demonstrate that at the time of an event:
- You WERE compliant with company regulations and driving laws
- You WERE paying attention and looking at the road
- You WERE NOT texting or using your mobile phone
- You WERE NOT falling asleep
- You WERE NOT distracted by your radio, food, or beverage
Complete documentation and proof of what occurred. The dash cam also includes an audio component that saves recordings during those seconds when—and only when—an event is triggered. For example, was there a siren or not? Did you or someone else use a horn? Were you using your turn signal? Facts like these can be critical in showing what happened and proving who was at fault.
Enhanced security that you control. A manual button to self-trigger event recording allows you to document:
- Traffic delays
- Hostile motorists
- Your actions when pulled over, such as to show you were wearing your seatbelt
- A locked gate preventing a delivery, etc.
The ongoing opportunity to raise your game. Athletes become great by studying their behaviours and improving their skills. You, too, can improve your skills by watching yourself on video. In many cases, you may not even be aware of a habit or behaviour until you see it captured on video. Your company’s coaches can then work with you to change these habits and reduce risky behaviours.
An investment in your safety and security. By implementing the video dash cam, your company is demonstrating that it is investing in your well-being and career success.