Since the early days of video cameras, videos have come a long way. With the advent of the internet, how we create and consume videos has evolved dramatically. Previously, video cameras were large and bulky, often requiring tapes or other physical media to record footage. So, sharing and editing videos was a huge challenge. However, as technology improved, video cameras became smaller and more affordable, leading to an explosion in home video creation.
Today, we create videos on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram and share them on the go. While videos have gained immense popularity in user-generated content, it is also helping commercial businesses improve operations, including driver safety.
Around 1.2 million people die yearly due to road accidents, which is one of the significant causes of death worldwide. However, technological advancements have led to the development of vehicle tracking systems and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) that utilise cameras to enhance vehicle safety.
Having said that, dash cameras have become increasingly popular among fleet businesses. These are small cameras mounted on a vehicle’s dashboard or windshield and record footage of the road and inside the cabin during trips. This footage acts as evidence in an accident or as a tool for insurance claims.
Hence, transportation and logistics companies use dash cameras in driver safety programs to protect their drivers.
Driver Safety Programs and Dash Cameras
A driver safety program is a set of policies and procedures designed to reduce the risks associated with driving. The program aims to promote safe driving practices, reduce the number of accidents, and improve driver behaviour. But to do so, dash cameras play an important role as it helps meet the goals and objectives of a safety program without the hassle and ensure safer operations.
Let’s understand how dash cameras can help improve driver safety programs.
Driver Training and Education
One of the critical elements of a driver safety program is providing drivers the necessary training and skills to drive responsibly. Traditional teaching methods can be tedious and fail to engage drivers with real-life scenarios, limiting their ability to respond to and avoid potential hazards on the road.
But with the footage from a dash camera, fleet admins can show them actual incidents of risky habits and their impact on drivers, vehicles, and other passengers. When drivers see such footage, it helps create a sense of accountability, proactively ensuring they drive safely.
The dash camera footage also helps train defensive driving techniques, emergency procedures, and avoiding distractions while driving. This can be especially helpful for new drivers learning the ropes of safe driving.
Tailor-made Training
Traditional training’s one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t reap value in today’s driver safety programs. Each driver has different driving habits–one might constantly overspeed, and the other might be used to hard braking. To improve the efficacy of the driver safety program, dash cameras help monitor driving behaviour in real-time.
Fleet managers can track their drivers’ behaviour and identify areas needing improvement. The footage recorded by dash cameras can be used to identify risky driving habits, such as speeding, harsh braking, and distracted driving. Accordingly, they can use dash camera footage to train respective drivers on their shortcomings and enhance performance.
Moreover, many dash cameras provide live-streaming options to view the footage live, enabling managers to instantly share feedback. The GPS tracking technology in the dash camera allows managers to track drivers’ locations in real-time and monitor their performance.
Reduce Driver Safety Program Costs
Traditional programs and training can be expensive–facility and equipment costs, instructor salaries, admin costs, etc. However, with dash cams supported programs, managers can cut down on costs and provide training. Earlier dash cameras would record footage on a local memory card that typically has limited storage capabilities. So, most cameras loop data wherein new footage will replace old footage because of less storage space. But 4 G-connected dash cameras record and quickly back up the data on the cloud.
Managers can view the footage anytime, anywhere, and retrieve any recording from the cloud. Nowadays, some dash cams even wirelessly connect with your smartphone, enabling you to stream the footage on the smartphone or tablet. Such easy accessibility of footage enhances the impact of the driver safety program and keeps drivers mindful. Online training modules, virtual simulators, and other digital tools can reduce the need for specialised facilities and equipment, making driver training easy and affordable.
Incentives and Rewards
Driver scorecards with dash cam footage can help incentivize drivers who perform well. Dash camera footage is accurate without any manipulation, driving data-driven decision-making. By recording footage of drivers in action, dash cams provide objective evidence of driving habits, identifying areas of improvement and providing feedback.
Unlike subjective feedback from supervisors or coworkers, dashcam footage provides an unbiased record of a driver’s behaviour. This can help drivers understand where to improve and take ownership of their driving habits.
Wrapping Up
Dash cameras in fleet businesses can improve their driver safety programs and create a culture of safety and responsibility. By improving driver safety and reducing the risk of accidents, driver training programs can ultimately save individuals and organisations money in the long run.