Dash Cams: The Game-Changer for Small Fleet Success

In the high-stakes, thin-margin world of trucking, safety is paramount for smaller fleets to stay in business. One multi-million-dollar claim, baseless or not, can be fatal to a business.

Enter the dash cam — a cost-effective, game-changing tool when combined with coaching. Read on to learn more about three key benefits when small fleets use dashcams with coaching.

1. Strengthens a carrier’s defense against claims of negligence

The absence of dash cam video means carriers might settle a potentially groundless or inflated claim. One instance of post-crash driver exoneration based on video could pay for the entire cost of a dash cam system.

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) 2021 study, The Impact of Small Verdicts and Settlements on the Trucking Industry, found that verdicts less than $1 million have dramatically increased.

Also, so-called “nuclear” or multimillion dollar verdicts have exploded. ATRI’s study, Understanding the Impact of Nuclear Verdicts on the Trucking Industry, published July 2020, found that there were:

• 26 cases over $1 million between 2006-2010, and
• Nearly 300 cases over $1 million between 2015-2019.

The study found that pre-crash actions help carriers steer clear of a nuclear verdict. Attorneys agreed that carriers must:

• Focus on crash avoidance,
• Adhere to safety and operational policies, and
• Exceed standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Carriers have a duty to correct unsafe behavior that they could have been aware of.  Armed with video proof showing the crash facts and correcting unsafe behavior, greatly reduces the chance of a large payout.

2. Increases profitability

Proactive detection and correction of unsafe and non-compliant behaviors is imperative. Without in-cab video, it is hard to know how many close calls or unsafe events are occurring in fleet vehicles. Cameras can capture the following behaviors and more:

• Cellphone use,
• Fatigued/distracted driving,
• Speeding,
• Hard braking/tailgating, and
• Hard cornering.

In March 2023, the J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights conducted the In-Cab Technology Pulse Poll of safety professionals. The results indicated that carriers use videos for more than driver exoneration after a crash.

In a typical fleet of any size, 15-20 percent of drivers pose 80 percent of the risk. Cameras make detecting the riskiest behavior much easier as indicated by the top benefit.

While not cited in the study as a top three benefit, maintenance and fuel costs decrease when there is less hard braking, hard cornering, and excessive speed.

The top benefits cited were:

3. Improves driver retention

Small fleets that use dash cams to exonerate a driver following a crash can help retain that driver. This means a carrier avoids losing a qualified driver and saves on the cost to hire a replacement.

Also, when drivers receive coaching and training early in their tenure, they have better skills, are often less frustrated, and stay with the company longer or are not terminated.

Video event performance can serve as a basis to reward safety and high performance. Drivers can also receive recognition for skillful maneuvers often missed without video. Driver retention increases when teams celebrate those who consistently operate safely.

Key to remember: Dash cams can provide cost-effective protection and improve profitability in smaller fleets.