J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

Recent studies show there’s nothing as powerful as a dash cam to uncover the facts surrounding an accident. Fleets are adopting dash cam systems at an increasing pace – from 9% (2014) to 69% (2021). And many are moving to dual-facing dash cameras to improve drivers’ skills and address risk. Let’s take a closer look. 

1. Accident Exoneration

Exoneration of the truck driver in an accident isn’t merely possible, it’s probable. Compelling statistics support dash cam use based solely on the potential for proving the truck driver was not at fault.  The FMCSA Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts (September 2022) showed that in 2020, 55% of the passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes had at least one driver-related factor recorded, compared to 32% of the large truck drivers in fatal crashes.

Dash-cam video clips can be pivotal in proving that your driver was doing the right things at the right time. Exoneration of even one driver involved in a crash with potential significant litigation risk will pay for the dash cam investment many times over. Without video evidence, fleets may need to rely on a witness’s testimony, which is a gamble. Why take that chance when the statistics favor the truck driver, and the carrier and dash cam video evidence can keep you out of court? Dash cams level the playing field, defending drivers and carriers against wrongful lawsuits.

If you’re still not convinced, consider these stats from the Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics (released December 2022):

  • 445,000 accidents involved a large truck or bus
  • 4,588 of the accidents (10%) resulted in at least one fatality
  • 4,965 total fatalities
  • 83% of the fatalities were NOT the occupant of the truck or bus
  • 108,000 of the accidents (about 25%) resulted in at least one injury
  • 147,000 total injuries
  • 332,000 of the accidents (about 75%) resulted in property damage

The estimated costs of all large truck and bus crashes totaled $143,000,000,000.00. That means the estimated average cost per large truck or bus crash is $321,348.00. A $500 dash camera is a small investment when considering these staggering statistics.

Additionally, dash cam video clips can be submitted in the DataQs Request for Data Review (RDR) process in the Crash Preventability Determination Program. Video clips help remove a non-preventable crash from your CSA Crash Indicator. It also keeps you from firing a driver who wasn’t at fault for the accident.

2. Litigation Defense

Even if you can’t wholly exonerate your driver, video evidence may still motivate a plaintiff to settle more quickly and for less than expected. Your video may show that the situation wasn’t nearly as egregious as prior statements indicated.

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) 2021 study, The Impact of Small Verdicts and Settlements on the Trucking Industry, found a direct correlation between an alleged infraction in a lawsuit and payment size. For example, alleging that a driver was using a cell phone was near the top end of the list, resulting in a $629,375 average litigation-related payment, while distracted driving and inadequate training were at the low end of the awards between $330,000 to $380,000. It should be noted that many of these behaviors could be captured by dash cameras.

Why such significant awards? Because a carrier’s actions are judged in court by what they should have known and done, not what they took the time to find and correct. A carrier must correct any unsafe situation that could affect the motoring public. Proving that you are upholding this obligation is made easier by monitoring driver behavior using video.

It is much harder for a plaintiff’s lawyer to prove negligence when you have a proactive coaching and training program.

3. Coaching and Training

Of course, the best defense against an accident is not having one. But with the number of miles traveled and the realities of highway travel, you cannot avoid all accidents. However, you can reduce the chances of an accident by training, monitoring, and reforming driver behavior using dash cam technology. A video-event system accelerates the identification and correction of unsafe behaviors and sustains the change with ongoing coaching and recognition.

A risk of not having an effective corrective action training program is being proven negligent. In the same ATRI study of the top 20 alleged infractions, at least 12 of the 20 involved are detectable and correctable if dash cams are used. These behaviors include:

  1. Phone use
  2. Asleep at the wheel
  3. Recklessness
  4. Failure to yield/stop
  5. Speeding
  6. Improper turn
  7. Improper driving for conditions
  8. Work zone violation
  9. Improper lane change
  10. Sideswipe
  11. Distracted
  12. Following too closely

In Conclusion

We urge you to be assertive, even aggressive, in protecting your company with the hard evidence that dash cam video provides.

The evidence presented here is a small fraction of what has been studied and proven regarding the efficacy of dash cameras to reduce risk. Learn more by downloading The Dash Cam ROI Whitepaper. Or talk with a J. J. Keller compliance specialist about how the Encompass® Video Event Management solution can protect your business, drivers, and profits.