How in-cab video and truck safety technology improves fleet safety

Integrating advanced video monitoring and safety technologies in fleet operations has become crucial for reducing accidents and improving overall safety. According to data published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), approximately 450,000 police-reported crashes involving large trucks occurred in 2017, with 4,237 being fatal and 344,000 resulting in injuries.  

These sobering statistics highlight the importance of implementing effective safety measures to protect lives and maintain efficient fleet operations. 

To help reduce crashes within a fleet and increase safety, the most important thing is to reduce dangerous driving behaviors. Before we delve into new vehicle safety technology that improves fleet safety and more, let's look at the negative impact of bad driving behavior. 

The Negative Effects of Bad Driving Behaviors 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that driver behavior error causes 94% of crashes. This makes it vitally important to focus on risky behavior if you want to reduce fleet crashes. 

Certain behaviors have been proven to increase the likelihood of a driver getting into a crash, and these include: 

• Harsh acceleration 
• Speeding 
• Harsh braking 

When a driver engages in the above, they are driving aggressively and likely trying to get somewhere as fast as possible with no consideration for their safety or others. It also wears out engines much quicker, making them dangerous on the road if they are not maintained properly. 

Distracted driving, such as looking at a phone while driving or micro-sleeping, can be just as dangerous as the above behaviors. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation (which is why micro-sleeps occur) can be the equivalent of driving drunk.  

Being awake for 18 hours straight is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of .05 (0.08 is considered drunk), and being awake for 24 hours straight is like having a blood alcohol level of 0.10. 

How Does In-Cab Video Help Make Your Fleet Safer? 

An in-cab telematics camera solution (such as Powerfleet’s VisionAI) gives you an inside view of how your drivers really behave on the road. When used in conjunction with a fleet management solution with vehicle safety technology hooked up to the vehicle's engine, you get a holistic approach that gives you much more control of your fleet than ever before. 

In-cab video can record whenever a predefined event triggers, notifying fleet managers that their driver is either engaging in risky behavior (including near-crashes) or has been involved in a crash.  

Even if a driver has not been involved in a crash, videos can help identify which drivers are not being cautious enough. That visual evidence can then be used to provide relevant training to drivers and show them exactly why their actions are wrong. They might not be aware of certain subconscious behaviors, but seeing them on video makes it more evident real. 

In addition to assisting with monitoring driver behavior (alongside a fleet management solution and other truck safety technology) and providing a visual training option, the in-cab video also aids in resolving the aftermath of crashes and helps decrease or settle insurance claims. 

With video, you can see exactly what led to a crash. Was the driver participating in risky behavior? Were they looking at their phone or distracted by a fellow driver? Were they fatigued? Were they wearing their seatbelt as they should? All of this can help you determine what can be done differently in the future to prevent it from happening again. 

Video evidence is also the best way to settle any claims made by a third party. It is an objective way to show the sequence of events that occurred and protect your drivers in cases where they were not at fault.