(Updated: 27 July 2023)
Commercial fleets play a critical role in business operations around the globe, from sales reps travelling to customer sites, logistics companies transporting goods across borders, businesses providing clients with easy delivery services etc. This means that the overall performance of a commercial fleet will directly impact the profitability of a business, and therefore having an effective fleet management system in place cannot be overstated.
There are many aspects of a fleet management system which can help fleet managers monitor their fleets, optimise fleet performance, and reduce the risk of fraud. In this article, we will cover the amazing benefits video monitoring with dashcams can offer fleet managers.
How can dashcams help protect your business?
Video telematics and fleet video monitoring technology have evolved over the years, becoming more easily accessible to the public and businesses alike. With companies operating small, medium, or large fleets taking note of the amazing security benefits, video monitoring has to offer.
Video telematics can help fleet managers reduce risk, increase efficiency, ensure security, reduce fraud, and improve driver training. Today’s dash cams are remotely accessible and IoT enabled, with other optional capabilities, to create a robust digital fleet management system.
Here is a list of the biggest benefits dash cams offer commercial vehicle fleets:
1. Exonerate Drivers and Protect Your Company from Fraudulent Claims
Fleet managers understand that there is a risk of traffic accidents occurring every time a vehicle leaves the lots. With dash cameras installed on the vehicle, it can help alleviate the stress associated with a traffic accident as it provides the fleet manager and relevant authorities with:
- High resolution, real-time video footage of the events leading up to the accident, including the accident itself. This alone provides enough information to determine what happened, how the accident occurred, and who was at fault.
- Reliable information that may have been missed or overlooked, such as the speed of the vehicle, distance between the vehicles, and the action taken by the drivers before, during, and after the accident.
- Impartial data, as the footage cannot lie or take sides. Therefore, the footage can give authorities an objective account of the accident.
Having a dash camera can help companies exonerate their drivers and prevent fraudulent claims from damaging the company’s reputation and finances.
2. Enhance Your Driver Training
Fleet managers can use dash camera footage to identify areas of improvement when it comes to poor driver behaviour and help provide more targeted training to resolve those issues. This will not only improve the overall safety of your fleet but, will help reduce the number of potential accidents from occurring in future.
Companies can also use dash camera footage to simulate various driving scenarios and provide guided training on specific situations, for example, driving in harsh weather, navigating through crowded and busy intersections, driving through narrow streets etc. This type of training can help bolster driver confidence and improve their skill set.
3. Improve Driver Behaviour and Safety
The presence of a dash camera serves as a constant reminder to drivers that their actions are being recorded and monitored by their fleet managers, thus encouraging them to adopt safer driving practices. These safer driving practices can include obeying traffic laws, maintaining safe following distances from other vehicles, following speed limits, and avoiding distractions such as texting while driving.
When it comes to driver safety, dash cameras can be used to identify and relay possible risks or threats back to the fleet manager in real-time. Especially with the rise in crime across South Africa, drivers can use the recorded video footage and audio to notify fleet managers of:
- Potential hijacking threats
- Reckless or aggressive driver behaviour
- Road hazards or sudden stops
4. Ensure Your Vehicle Fleet’s Security
In the past, dash cameras were only designed to operate during travel or when the vehicle ignition was turned on. With the advancements in technology, however, more modern dash cameras offer companies a standby functionality, which allows fleet managers to continue monitoring the vehicle long after the ignition is turned off.
This footage helps prevent break-ins, hit-and-runs and vandalism, as well as improve the response time of your local law enforcement with real-time alerts. Dash cameras are most effective when they are combined with other telematics tools, such as fleet tracking, driver communications and route monitoring, helping to ensure your fleet’s safety and security.
5. Reduce Insurance Costs and Simplify Claims
As we’ve already covered, dash cameras can provide fleet managers and relevant authorities with high-resolution, real-time video footage of all road incidents that occur to a specific vehicle(s). This can simplify the insurance claim process by providing immediate proof of the event, which in turn can help resolve the claim process sooner. This means companies can save on downtime costs.
Installing fleet-wide dash cams will also provide insurance companies with evidence of reliable driver behaviour and your commitment to fleet safety, which reduces your insurance premiums.
Why Are Dash Cam Fleets So Good?
Dash cameras, fleet tracking, and route monitoring, along with other vehicle telematics solutions, have been transforming commercial vehicle fleets for the better. By using video telematics and dash camera technology, you can monitor your fleet in real time and ensure every vehicle is safe and secure, all the while increasing productivity and improving driver training. Dash cameras are great because they were designed with fleet managers and their drivers in mind.
If you are looking for the latest in fleet management solutions or are wanting to integrate video telematics into your vehicle fleet operations, speak to one of our expert consultants at Landmark Tracking.
