Image Source: FleetOwner.com
Technology is supposed to make our lives easier. However, if you are a truck driver, some tech can help protect your livelihood, too.
Having a forward-looking camera system, also called "road facing", "front-facing" or "forward facing", is a tech that you need now to defend your truck on the road by having a log of visual events.
Today's in-cab camera systems are a significant improvement over older dash cams that produce a poor quality video. New in-cab cameras use digital technology that has improved image processing with high-definition image capture and improved storage capacity.
These cameras work in daylight, low-light, and nighttime conditions. Depending on the camera system, some cameras can collect data and stream live video if needed.
More carriers and drivers are installing forward-looking camera systems than ever before because of the variety of benefits they provide. Here are several reasons why you should consider using this system's technology to your advantage.
Having an in-cab forward-facing camera system can provide evidence of who is at fault if you are involved in an accident. A recent ATA study shows that in almost 85 percent of collisions between trucks and passenger vehicles, the driver in the passenger vehicle is at fault, but the commercial driver often is blamed.
Without video evidence of which driver caused the accident, you could be blamed for an accident that you were not at fault for, especially when there are no witnesses to the event. But remember, this can work both ways; if you caused the accident, the video could be used against you as evidence.
Keeping this in mind can make you more cautious with your driving behaviors.
An in-cab camera system could protect you if another driver intentionally causes an accident and blames it on you. This action is insurance fraud, and often the other driver may claim that they are injured in the accident when they are not so that they can collect money from your insurer.
According to the FMCSA, the average cost of a massive truck crash with injuries is about $200,000. Having the video footage can help prove your case that you did not cause the accident and provide your insurer with the evidence they need to determine the other driver committed insurance fraud.
While it is unfair, the public perception of truck drivers is often poor. It is common for truckers to be considered guilty until proven innocent. If you are a trucker and falsely accused of an accident or other poor driving behavior, your livelihood is at stake. Video evidence can prove your innocence and protect your CDL license.
An in-cab dash camera can help get insurance claims resolved faster. Insurers get the information they need from the video footage instead of trying to reconstruct the accident based on what could be inaccurate information from the drivers involved.
Having a dash cam can help protect your truck even when it is not on the road. Some systems are able to record while you are parked or away from your vehicle. If someone hits your parked rig or attempts to vandalize or break into it, the camera footage will record the perpetrators.
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