Construction dash cams are rapidly becoming a mainstay of fleet safety and management. Exponential strides in technology have resulted in practical and affordable dash cams. Years ago, dash cams were large, cumbersome, fragile, and uncommon. Today, dash cams are convenient, durable, and increasingly popular.
Every day, more businesses see the untapped potential of modern fleet dash cams, with benefits including greater driver safety, less accident liability, and more money saved. Dash cameras protect drivers, companies, and vehicles. But protection isn't the dash cam’s only virtue.
Dash cams also help businesses combine fleet coordination, asset management, and driver safety. Let’s analyze dash cams, exploring their strengths and what they will do for you.
What Are Fleet Dash Cams?
Fleet dashboard cameras, known as “dash cams,” are designed to monitor vehicle activity using video and audio recordings. Essentially, dash cams are small security cameras made for vehicles. Usually, commercial dash cams are installed around a vehicle’s dashboard (hence the name).
Dash cams have made a long journey in the past seventy years. In the past, regular film was used with large cameras to capture footage on buses. Even further back, in the 1940s, some police vehicles had large rolling cameras on their dashboards.
Unlike the behemoth-sized dash cams of earlier eras, modern dash cams are compact and convenient. However, their small size doesn’t mean they don’t have impressive functionality. Let’s talk about some modern fleet dash cam features and outline what dash cams can do for a construction company’s fleet.
Features of The Best Dash Cams for Construction Fleets
How do you know if you're getting a good dashcam? Let’s talk about some of the features offered by the modern dash cam. As you’ll see, they don’t just record video. Today’s dash cam operates in a similar tradition as the smartphone, using multiple technologies to create a scalable and user-friendly experience.
Features of Modern Commercial Dash Cams:
- Fleet dash cam (with GPS). Dash cams with GPS make it simple to watch your fleet in real time.
- Clear Video. The latest dash cams record 1080p HD videos. Some people hesitate to embrace vehicle cameras as they wonder what's the point of so much "grainy footage." This is no longer an issue with today’s high-definition recordings.
- Two-way video. One a camera on the road and one on the driver. This helps prevent and correct risky driver behavior while also providing a roadside view for incident context.
- Audio Capture. Many dashcams also provide audio detection, allowing management to get a fuller recording of accidents or roadside incidents.
- Audio Alerts. Modern dash cams like the TennaCAM 2.0 can be configured to audibly alert the driver after detecting unsafe behavior for real-time, live coaching.
- AI assistance. AI technology makes it possible for dash cams to detect a tired or distracted driver.
- Integration with telematics. Dash cams needn’t be an isolated tool. Dash cams work in tandem with onboard monitoring systems (fleet trackers) that leverage other telematic data such as speed and hard braking to provide an overall clearer picture of vehicle activity.
- Incident-triggered snapshots. The camera will sense the incident, record a snapshot, and immediately send the clip to the cloud where it is presented in the fleet tracking platform and can be sent to the fleet manager.
- Park mode. The newest dash cams also protect your fleet when it's parked. If the device senses any impact or movement to a parked vehicle, it will trigger a recording and send an alert to the appropriate manager.
- Panic button. Some dash cams have a built-in panic button, allowing any driver to begin recording video on demand if an incident or unexpected event presents itself.
For an example of a dash cam that checks these boxes, check out the TennaCAM 2.0.
Reasons to Implement Vehicle Safety Cameras for a Fleet
Driver safety has been a growing movement. The CDC reports up to $75 Billion lost in total costs to motor vehicle accidents. By using dash cams to keep your drivers safe, you take part in a global effort to reduce accident injury.
Modern vehicle safety cameras give companies more than just increased roadside vision.
Many companies have already upgraded to dash cams, and when drivers and professionals choose where they’d like to work, being in a community of safety is essential. By installing dash cams, you demonstrate to employees that your company is serious about safety, giving you an edge in a job market where it can be difficult to recruit qualified professionals.
Check out The Benefits and Savings of Dash Cameras for Construction Fleet Management for a long list of benefits related to using dash cams.
Let’s talk about some of these benefits in more depth. As you’ll see, in the hands of the foreword-thinking company, dash cams can change the game.
How Commercial Dash Cams Keep Fleets Safe
It's unfortunate, but accidents do happen. However, it’s easy to forget that true, unpreventable accidents are relatively rare. Many times, there is a preventable element to motor vehicle collisions. Preventing accidents is a huge priority, and dash cams show promise. A Virginia Tech study of dashboard cameras saw a potential 20 percent decrease in fatal accidents and a 35 percent reduction in injuries with dash cams in use.Understanding that many accidents are preventable is the first step in realizing the potential of the fleet dash cam.
The Top 3 Ways Dash Cams Keep Commercial Fleets Safe
- Improving driver awareness
- Deterring theft or scams
- Safety program moderation
Below you'll find more details.
How to Improve Driver Awareness with Dash Cams
When a driver is monitored, they’re more likely to adhere to company safety policies and follow laws. Modern dash cams like the TennaCAM 2.0 often have two-way video - one watching the driver, one watching the road.
With AI technology, if the driver demonstrates any dangerous behavior, such as texting or drowsiness, an alert can be sent to the manager in real-time, allowing them to correct the behavior. Some dash cams use in-cab coaching notifications to detect and audibly alert the driver, instantly reminding them to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel to prevent accidents before they happen.
Dash cams can be paired with other onboard devices, providing context on driver safety notifications and records related to sharp turns, hard brakes, or speeding.
Some studies have concluded that dash cams play a significant role in crash analysis and prevention. The National Board of Traffic Safety believes onboard cameras could play a significant role in improving vehicle safety.
Dash cams will help you; however, dash cams may also deter other drivers from attempting any illicit behavior.
Deterring Accident and Insurance Scams with Construction Dash Cams
It's common for regular people on the road to become needlessly frustrated with heavy trucks. Sometimes, these frustrations unfortunately escalate into a road-rage incident, with people attempting to cause an accident and subsequently blaming the company. The NICB tracks crash scams, and they explain that this dangerous behavior is more common than people realize.
Even one incident can damage a business’s finances and public image.
The good news is that dash cams can help. Signs that read "recording in process" may deter would-be thieves and scammers. And, if there is a scam attempt, video evidence will increase the chance of catching the perpetrator and exonerating your driver and business.
When features such as Park Mode are enabled in a dash cam, crashes or attempted break ins when a vehicle is parked can trigger a video recording to give context to accidents or potential theft when a vehicle is unattended.
Use Dash Cams to Moderate Driver Safety Programs
Fleet safety programs often use a driver scorecard system. This process rewards drivers who maintain a healthy record while spotlighting drivers who need increased training. Often, it can be difficult to make sense of certain driver safety notifications without additional context, and dash cams can be a great supplement to a driver safety program to aid in this understanding.
What do we mean by context? Dash cams can be combined with telematic fleet tracking to provide a more accurate picture of a given incident. If there's a hard braking event, some systems might fault the driver; however, with a smart video device, you can give those incidents the proper context. Perhaps an animal ran into the road, or another vehicle swerved in front of the company vehicle.
These programs also help protect drivers from wrongful blame. Some drivers will explain that their incident occurred at the fault of another vehicle on the road, however, it’s often difficult to corroborate these claims. Dash cam footage can support.
With a dash cam, you can see with certainty the context of a hard stop, rapid acceleration, or tight turn. In the past, this meant reeling through hours of video footage. Modern dash cams such as the TennaCAM 2.0 will detect an incident and save a snapshot recording for quick and easy review.
In this way, you can ensure that all your drivers are treated fairly - accurately rewarding the safe drivers while focusing more training on the drivers that need habit correction.
Discover more about driver scorecards in our article on driver safety programs. Now, let's discuss how dash cams can save money.
How Can Fleet Dash Cams Save Companies Money?
Dash cams often translate into a tangible investment return. Commercial dash cams can save you money in repairs, insurance costs, and wasted time.
How Dash Cameras Save Companies Money:
- Improved driver efficiency with in-cab coaching from AI detection
- Potentially reduced insurance costs
- Less overhead time spent processing claims or records in the back office
Dash cams can foster the timely resolution of incidents involving insurance companies and law enforcement.
Further, dash cams will integrate into the fleet management ecosystem, ensuring you get total visibility across your fleet. The dash cams ensure drivers feel protected and that the managers know what’s going on so they can keep everything running smoothly.
Finally, some note it’s rare for insurance companies to reduce premiums after dash cam installation - it's true; however, this practice has started to increase. And yet, even if insurers don't provide discounts for dash cams, they often provide discounts for proven safe driving (through telematics). So, even indirectly, dash cams can affect insurance payments.
Things to Consider When Installing Fleet Dash Cams
Today, the price of the technology is going down considerably. And the reliability and versatility are going up.
Here Are Some Things to Consider Before Integrating Dash Cams Into Your Fleet:
- Outline clear dash cam policy changes
- Dash cams should complement other safety tools
- Use tools tailored to your industry
Let’s review further details.
Fleet Dash Cams and Policy Amendments
Many times, drivers will be only too happy to have company-provided dash cams. Truckers have installed personal dash cams themselves for years, as they see the benefit in protecting their personal liability.
However, some drivers may feel that security cameras are compromising privacy. Focusing on the positives, such as driver safety and reduced liability, can go a long way toward showing drivers the value of dash cams: that they will help ensure all drivers are rewarded and corrected fairly - based on accurate information.
Establishing a clear policy regarding dash cam operation ensures the staff knows everything, the expectations are transparent and that their concerns are addressed.
Commercial Dash Cams as a System
Dash cams and other worksite safety cameras often provide a foundation for company and driver safety. However, dash cams should not be the only tool in the fleet safety toolbox.
Managers should plan to use dash cams to complement their other vehicle tracking devices and driver safety features. When drivers know companies will review their driving behavior, they are more apt to follow through on safety practices.
Consider Some of These Tools to Integrate With Dash Cams:
- Telematics. Use telematics to monitor utilization and location and keep up on vehicle repairs. Telematics is also a key technology used when pairing a dash cam with a driver scorecard program.
- Asset tracking tools. Dash cams and telematic fleet trackers can track your fleet but look for a platform that allows you to track other assets you own such as heavy equipment and tools in one single view. Combining dash cams with heavy equipment trackers, QR code scanners, worksite Bluetooth, or BLE asset trackers, and rugged GPS fleet trackers creates total visibility over all your owned and rented assets.
- Heavy equipment management software. Having a headquarters to control your dash cams, asset trackers, and telematics is essential. A good heavy equipment management system works from a desktop, tablet, or phone, and ensures everything moves in synchrony.
Finally, choose products that are built for your business.
TennaCAM 2.0: The Best Commercial Dash Cam for Heavy Equipment and Construction Vehicles
A good dash cam will guard your fleet and reduce liability. For construction companies who are looking for dash cams, think about installing a safety camera that’s built for the work you do.
The new TennaCAM 2.0 comes equipped with all the advanced and user-friendly features highlighted in this article. The TennaCAM 2.0 will snapshot incidents in HD, record clear audio, and employ AI technology to improve safe driving habits. In short, the TennaCAM 2.0 lets you harness the latest fleet dash cam technology to protect and empower your business.
Tenna has designed a construction equipment fleet management platform with solutions for tracking and managing everything in your mixed fleet. When you use Tenna’s products, you get more than an isolated solution; you’re entering a world that works to improve every aspect of asset management for construction. Tenna knows construction.
Contact Tenna for a free demonstration TennaCAM 2.0 functionality. The Tenna team would love to answer your questions and help you harness the full potential of fleet dash cams for your business so you can work faster, safer, and more efficiently - no wasted fuel, no wasted time, no wasted money.
