The use of dashcams for trucking fleets significantly increases drivers’ safety and provides evidence and opportunities for better driving. 

The footage doesn’t lie and allows drivers and safety managers to learn and grow from on-the-road mistakes. The use of road-facing dashcams and fleet managements software will enable fleets to improve their driver safety and coaching programs.

Here are 5 ways to increase your fleet safety by using dashcams.

Create Personalized Coaching Programs

Seeing exactly where a mistake happened from the driver’s perspective allows safety managers to identify at-risk drivers. This unique vantage provides for a more crafted coaching program.

The moments before, during and after an incident can show what decisions led to the adverse outcomes. These may be internal, such as fatigue, or external factors, like bad weather or a road hazard they were not expecting. No matter the factor, drivers can learn to handle any situation.

With personalized coaching and support, drivers will feel more confident, and your fleet will be safer.

Use Dashcam Footage As Examples

Reviewing and looking at other drivers’ errors on the road makes it easy to pinpoint mistakes and poor decisions. The information lets the safety teamwork with drivers understand what could be done instead. 

Additional benefits include using dashcam footage to determine fault in accidents.  

Get Everyone on Board

Dashcams may create a sense of unease for drivers or that they are being watched. However, it’s essential to explain the overall benefits and increased safety available from dashcams.

One way to start this process is by encouraging your team to be open to using and implementing dashcams. Having your team on board is critical to using these tools effectively.

Another is to have influential drivers (often, the vets start first). Implementing dashcams and software can be much faster with an endorsement from your top drivers.

Work as a Team to Create Safety Event Triggers

Dashcams are triggered by various excessive movements such as hard cornering, braking or acceleration. These critical safety events should be discussed with your drivers as a team to decide which safety events are used to trigger the recording on their forward-facing dashcams.

By working together, drivers are more likely to learn to correct their mistakes and respond more positively to the safety coaching being implemented.

Create Driver Goals and Feedback Follow-up

Monitoring and assessing driver performance are necessary for ongoing support. Setting goals means monitoring progress and providing feedback for continuous improvement. 

Using Driver Scorecards ranks drivers from worst to best performing.

You can then use that information to improve your safety programs and create incentives and encouragement for your safest drivers. Doing this will help to improve your fleet safety as a whole and help keep your best drivers in your business.

In conclusion, dashcams can be a beneficial addition to your fleet by increasing safety, coaching and creating a culture in your business where drivers feel confident and valuable members of your team.