Does your HGV have a dash cam? If you do not have one, you need to consider, seriously, getting one because it is one of the most important investments you could make, for your safety and career.
Over the years, dash cams have captured some amazing footage from accidents involving Lorries, vans and other commercial vehicles. These videos have sometimes proved that the driver was unsafe or that they were not at fault for the accident at all.
The benefits are so great that Cobra UK, a security solutions provider, has asked the government to legislate for front-facing cameras in commercial vehicles. This is a way to protect the drivers of these vehicles from crash for cash swindles. While the government has not heeded this request, there are many reasons why you should look at installing a dash cam anyway.
Protection From Crash for Cash Scams
Over the last 5 years, crash for cash swindles have caused a rise in insurance prices. The problem with these swindles is that it is often very hard for drivers to protect themselves from them. However, a dash cam can help.
If you have never heard of this scam before, it all starts with a vehicle pulling in front of another vehicle, generally on a fast-moving part of the road. The driver will then intentionally do something that causes an accident such as slamming on their brakes. The victim of the scam will crash into the rear of the scammer and the fault will be with them for rear-ending the other vehicle. However, when you have a dash cam, you can prove that you are not at fault in these accidents. This is especially important if you are training for your CPC test.
Evidence for Insurance
If you are in an accident and there is no evidence that it was a crash for cash scam, your dash cam will still be helpful when it comes to determining liability with your insurance company. Most cases will only have eyewitness accounts to work with and this can be spotty or miss crucial information.
Dash cam footage will provide the insurance company with an impartial and completely factual account of what happened. It is also a good way to avoid any disputes and ensure that you are never found to be at fault for an accident that you did not cause.
Cheaper Insurance Premiums
Insurance can be very expensive if you drive one HGV or have a fleet that you are running. If you have not had a license for very long or been a victim of a crash for cash scam, the premium will be even worse.
The good news is that insurance companies are starting to realise how a dash cam can make their job easier and close cases faster. There are a lot of brokers who have now started to offer lower premiums and other discounts to drivers and companies that equip their vehicles with a dash cam.
This means that the dash cam will not only protect you, it will also help you to get a lower insurance premium.
Create a Record of Driver Behaviour
If you have a fleet of HGV’s, installing a dash cam will bring the extra benefit of creating a record of driver behaviour. If you are an independent driver, you will not really need to consider this benefit. However, it is still important to know about this in case the companies you work for want to do this.
If you are going to install a dash cam for this purpose, you will need to get a dual lens one, which allows you to monitor the road and the behaviour of the driver. You can use this footage alongside the telemetric data to help ensure that all of your drivers are representing your company in the best way possible. You also ensure that all of your drivers are going to be driving responsibly and adhering to the law.