• In at least 75 percent of fatal truck-passenger vehicle-involved crashes, the passenger-car driver is found to be at fault, so exoneration of the truck driver through dashcam video is not only possible, but probable.
• A study of over 10,000 crashes found that event-based video systems, combined with driver-behavior coaching, reduced fatal crashes by 20 percent and reduced injury crashes by 35 percent.
• Dashcam use can not only reduce insurance rates, but reports indicate that meaningful fuel and maintenance cost reductions are possible when dashcam systems are combined with driver coaching, due to improvements in driving technique and following distance.

There is a compelling case for the use of video-event recorders. The initial investment cost is usually a significant barrier. However, if the cost of even one serious accident is avoided due to the system, this can justify the investment. According to a leading carrier attorney, motor carriers whose leaders perceive investing in safety as too expensive tend to experience costlier settlements in crash litigation. Leaders must be made aware of the ramifications of underfunding safety efforts.

The justification for investing in a dashcam system emphasizes these potential benefits and compelling statistics:

• Exoneration – Video can be the best witness in a serious crash and can help a carrier avoid a multimillion-dollar verdict. A video clip can prove the facts and can confirm that the driver was not at fault or at least contradict statements of alleged fact from the plaintiff.
  • In at least 75 percent of fatal truck-passenger vehicle-involved crashes, the passenger-car driver is found to be at fault, so exoneration of the truck driver is probable, not just possible.
• Protection of a company’s financial viability and brand – Cameras can minimize the impact of litigation by helping carriers uphold their “duty to act” — a primary consideration for a jury. The “duty to act” means that if aware of an issue, action should have been taken to correct the problem. With targeted training, video footage can serve as a catalyst for the timely correction of unsafe behavior, which reduces the potential for a finding of negligence — and a large settlement. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the following are average accident-related costs:
  • Average accident cost: $91,000
  • Average injury cost from accidents: $334,892
  • Average fatality accident settlement: $7.2 million
• Reduced crash rates, citations, and other unsafe behaviors It is typical for carriers that implement video systems to experience significantly reduced accidents, citations, and unsafe-behavior events in a short timeframe.
  • A study of over 10,000 crashes by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) found that event-based video systems, combined with driver-behavior coaching, reduced fatal crashes by 20 percent and reduced injury crashes by 35 percent.
• Proactive identification and correction of unsafe behaviors – Before crashes occur, the correction of unsafe behavior caused by poor driver choices can be difficult — if not impossible —without video detection.
  • An analysis of Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) and Fatality Accident Reporting System (FARS) data found that 94 percent of all crashes are caused by human choices. Also, 32 percent of fatal large-truck crashes have at least one truck driver factor as a root cause.
• Reduced operating costs – Insurance rates can be reduced and/or potential increases can be minimized. Based on anecdotal reports from carriers, meaningful fuel and maintenance cost reductions are also typical when dashcam systems are combined with driver coaching due to improvements in driving technique and following distance.
  • American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) 2018 study on operational costs at larger carriers found that insurance rates have increased 11 percent from 2011 to 2017, which predated the wide use of video-event recorders, despite the investment in manufacturer-installed vehicle safety systems.