For example, about eight people in the U.S. are killed daily in crashes involving a distracted driver, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Human safety is always the top concern, but these situations can also result in reputational damage to the business, large insurance liabilities, and costly repairs, especially when there are no other witnesses and fleet drivers have no verifiable proof of their actions or intent,” says Kevin Aries, head of Global Product Success for Verizon Connect.
The company, which makes dash cameras and related telematics systems, surveyed its fleet customers and 65 percent said that they believe that fleet vehicles are the first to be considered responsible in a crash when a passenger vehicle is involved, even when that’s not the case.
With injury lawyer billboards often in sight along major highways, it’s not a stretch to imagine the general public seeing a fleet’s logo as a symbol of a company with deep pockets.
One way fleets are protecting themselves is by investing in dashcam systems.
“Modern dashcam solutions are typically part of a larger comprehensive fleet-management solution,” Aries says. “When combined, they provide a clear, nearly real-time view of daily operations to help businesses focus on driver safety, reduce costs, increase productivity, and stay ahead of vehicle maintenance.”
What’s in a dashcam system?
“For dashcams, expected features include high-definition video capture with the ability to see the driver’s field of vision, the ability to withstand heat and vibration, and cloud storage in the event the camera is damaged,” Aries says.
Related systems, such as closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras, also can enhance safety by improving a driver’s view.
“High-definition cameras, such as Brigade’s Backeye360 HD BN360-300, are offering complete security and peace of mind for drivers and fleet managers by ensuring that blind spots are eliminated and acting as a reliable eyewitness in the event of an incident, false claim, or theft,” says Corey Heniser, CEO of Brigade Electronics. “HD provides better clarity with clearer, crisper images for drivers and operators, making the resulting footage invaluable in terms of both safety and security.”
Brigade says its research has proven that its vehicle CCTV has been effective in slashing personal injury claims and reducing insurance premiums. The survey of drivers, fleet managers, and other industry professionals found that 29 percent said personal injury claims had dropped, and 32 percent saw a reduction in insurance costs.
High definition means a high-resolution image will be displayed on a driver’s monitor, providing clarity and detail, allowing them to see an object or person in a vehicle’s blind spot with ease. Dashcam HD footage will also provide the detail a fleet needs to view any incidents.
Above: Dashcams can be monitored by fleet managers in their offices. Alerts and footage can also be sent to mobile devices.
Just like a high-def channel or broadcast viewed on a modern television, the difference between high-definition and standard definition is the number of pixels contained in the displayed image. HD images have more pixels per square inch than standard definition. This means a HD system will show much finer details than standard definition systems. Typically, HD is referred to as 720p and above, Brigade says.
Recording visuals, as well as data, is the key to a system’s success.
“Once the engine turns on, the dashcam system begins recording and continues to do so until the engine is turned off,” Aries says. “A harsh driving event such as a sudden acceleration or hard braking triggers special software that marks the video and saves it in the cloud so the footage can be reviewed on a mobile device or desktop for later use. When combined with precise location information, fleet managers also receive an alert to quickly view the identity of the driver, their speed, and their location in near-real time on a live map.”
The data, and accompanying footage, can help managers determine facts in the event of a crash or incident and protect the company against false claims.
“The video can also be used as an important training tool to individualize driver training and instill better and safe driving practices, helping to reduce potential risks,” Aries says.
Verizon Connect also points out that fleet-management technology provides valuable details in the event of theft as well, because it can deliver proof of an incident with near real-time tracking capabilities to display the location of a missing vehicle on a map.
Dashcam use in the field
Another dascham system provider, Lytx, has sold systems to Rogers Group, Inc. (RGI), the largest privately owned construction aggregate company in the U.S. also offering hot mix asphalt and heavy construction services. RGI needed to upgrade its fleet tracking to get clear visibility into driving performance and safety practices.
RGI selected the Lytx Driver Safety Program because it better positioned the company to track operator driving behavior and identify risks that could lead to accident claims. RGI uses the technology to build and evolve a driving training program, while also incorporating driver coaching sessions.
“Video’s becoming [the] industry standard [and] more prevalent,” says Jason Bothman, director of Construction Technology for RGI.
With the Driver Safety Program in place, RGI has increased employee productivity between 10 and 19 percent. The company’s seen the biggest impact in the improved safety behaviors of driving performance, including reduced collisions and increased defensive driving. Lytx says the video-based technology has also helped exonerate RGI from false claims, saving the company thousands of dollars.
However, contractor use of dashcam solutions lags behind that of traditional fleet-management telematics.
“Adoption of dashcam solutions remains relatively low,” Aries says. “Right now, most fleet managers [64 percent] that use Verizon Connect fleet-management technology have not yet adopted dashcams, even though it suggests clear benefits for their use.”
Verizon Connect says one of its clients, fiber optic installer Wolf Line Construction, deployed an advanced fleet-management solution and the company increased efficiency by up to 25 percent across its fleet, decreased time spent in the field as well as fuel and mileage needed to locate crews, and prioritized driver safety with the use of dashcams.
Looking at a dashcam/video telematics solution requires asking five key questions, says John Ballantyne, VP of Video Product at Geotab.
“This seems like an obvious thing to ask: ‘What problem are we trying to solve?,’” Ballantyne says. “However, this is the single most important question to ask, and is often overlooked.
“Consult your business partners or other members of your organization to uncover the issues that need action,” Ballantyne says. “Discuss cameras in your management meetings and list the responses. You may discover some new use cases.”
Some of the common video telematics use categories Geotab sees are driver risk management, collision evidence, and security recording.
Who will use and manage dashcam videos?
“It’s worth taking the time to list all the people who will use the video telematics portal and the information that it provides,” Ballantyne says. “Who will see the data? What is their job? Will video increase or decrease their current workload?
“The people on that list will depend on your use case,” Ballantyne says. “Some typical roles that would manage or use video data in a medium to large organization are: risk manager, fleet manager, health and safety officer, human resources manager, legal or insurance personnel, to name a few.
Failing to map out all the potential users in advance has drawbacks, according to Ballantyne. In such cases, the system is underutilized. As well, if managers are not looped in early on, they could be surprised or disappointed later if it turns out the system does not meet their expectation.
“What operations will it need to integrate with and enhance? Integration is key for efficiency, for any kind of software, and especially video,” Ballantyne says.
“If you will use video cameras for first notice of loss (FNOL), you will probably want to link the system to your Claims Processing department or service. A driver risk management video workflow output will likely need to link into your HR system,” he says. “If you want video to fulfill a security function, you probably need a way to share data with the group that handles incident and loss investigations.”
Thinking about these linkages in advance will allow time to research whether the solution is supported by APIs that can enable or even automate data flow between systems, Ballantyne continues.
“How will we measure success? To measure your return on investment, there are a number of metrics you can track,” he says. “Your ROI won’t always be dollars. There are so many key performance indicators (KPIs) for fleet video cameras.”
Here are a few ideas of some possible data points and types of camera metrics: risk management (number of collisions per million miles, risk rating); FNOL (claims processing time, number of at-fault claims); and security (repair costs, complaints)
“Defining your success metrics in advance will make your camera search easier,” Ballantyne says. “You can check each camera option to ensure it delivers the analytics you need to measure performance. As well, prepare a weekly or monthly report for stakeholders to foster buy-in and support for your camera goals.”
Finally, what are the future goals?
“The final step of preparation before purchasing is to think of the future,” Ballantyne says. “How will your fleet change in the next 1 to 2 years? How about in 5 years? Take note of any upcoming shifts in business operations, vehicles, or staffing. These changes will impact what dashcam features you need. Even if you won’t use these features or reports now, it makes sense to invest in technology that will stay useful in the long run.”
