Vehicle cameras (video event recorders)

Scope

Information regarding vehicle cameras can apply to carriers, drivers, and employers.

Regulatory citations

• None

Key definitions

• Auxiliary cameras: Cameras that are mounted on a vehicle’s side, rear, and cargo areas to capture all camera angles around the vehicle.
• Dashcams: Dashcams provide video clips of adverse driving events, allowing a carrier to identify the riskiest drivers, provide evidence of a crash, and allow improvement in the safety culture of the carrier.
  

Summary of requirements

Benefits

Video clips from dashcams can help carriers:

• Identify and focus on the riskiest drivers,
• Provide evidence in the event of a crash, and
• Allow proactive transformation of the carrier’s safety culture.

Video clips from auxiliary cameras positioned on a vehicle’s side, rear, and cargo areas can:

• Improve litigation outcomes,
• Reduce cargo theft,
• Increase driver security, and
• Support non-preventable crash decisions.

Dashcam coaching

Coaching with a dashcam video must be intended to improve drivers’ skills and help them be more confident, safe, and productive. Proper coaching technique includes allowing drivers to view relevant video clips first, asking the driver how to correct the behavior, and providing feedback to cover points the driver may have missed.

Dashcam policies

The proper execution and maximization of system benefits depend on consistent adherence to the policy and procedures by each team member. Inconsistencies in the following procedures are very harmful to a carrier’s case should litigation arise.

Suggested policy elements and statements:

• Users will be trained and retrained, when necessary, on the operation of the system and event triggers.
• The video clips will be used for individual driver training (not group training). They may also be used to prevent losses in defense of legal claims due to driver involvement in an accident.
• The system will not be used to secretly monitor drivers.
• Recordings will be safeguarded from unauthorized use and access.
• No images will be stored unless an event trigger has occurred, up to a specified number of seconds prior to and after the trigger.
• Employee consent is required for any use of videos for training or other purposes. However, consent may be a condition of employment.
• Have a clear stance on owner-operator use of and any charges for the video-event system. Consult an attorney to minimize potential leasing regulation charge-back violations and misclassification issues. Misclassification can occur when an independent contractor is considered an employee for pay or worker’s compensation purposes.
• Have a clear stance on owner-operators’ and company drivers’ use of personal dashcams alongside the company-provided dashcam.
• Performance coaching documentation retention and progressive discipline actions must be consistent with existing company policies and procedures.

Return on investment

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

• Exoneration — Video can be the best witness in a serious crash and can help a carrier avoid a multimillion-dollar verdict.
• 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.
• Reduced crash rates, citations, and other unsafe behaviors — It’s typical for carriers that implement video systems to experience significantly reduced accidents, citations, and unsafe behavior events in a short timeframe.
• 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.
• Reduced operating costs — Insurance rates can be reduced and/or potential increases can be minimized.