Dash cams have been around for many years, but every year, we are seeing this technology advance, prices becoming more competitive and more models available. Many businesses in the logistics industry already use this technology with the installation of both front and rear cameras on lorries.
For business owners there can be many advantages to installing dash cams across the fleet, however, there are other considerations you need to think about before you install this technology in your vehicles.
We have partnered with Road Angel to offer Harborough Portas customers a significant discount on dash cams for their vehicles. Purchase your discounted dash cams here.
Below we look at the advantages of dash cams and also some of the advantages of purchasing a road Angel dash cam through Harborough Portas.
What is a dash cam?
Dash cameras or dashboard cameras (known as dash cams) are camera systems mounted on the dashboard or windscreen of your vehicle. Forward facing and rear facing cameras are available and they record the road on which you are driving and some of the surrounding area.
How do dash cams work?
A dash cam records footage and stores it on a memory card or internal storage, creating a visual record of every journey. The duration for which dash cam footage lasts is dependent on a few factors: the storage capacity of the memory card, the video resolution and quality settings of the recordings, and whether the dash cam is set to overwrite older footage when the storage is full.
The vast majority of modern products typically use loop recording, which means they continuously record in a loop, overwriting the oldest footage when the memory card storage is full. This ensures that you always have the most recent recordings available. The length of the loop depends on the size of the memory card and the resolution settings.
For example, with a 32GB memory card and recording at 1080p resolution, the footage can last approximately 4-6 hours. However, if you reduce the resolution or lower the quality settings, you can extend the recording time, although we typically advise against this to conserve the quality and viability or the footage. Additionally, some dash cams have options to adjust the loop duration or set specific file sizes for each recording segment.
If an incident occurs or an insurance claim needs to be made, it's important to save the relevant footage immediately to prevent it from being overwritten, but most dash cams have features like "emergency recording" or "incident lock" that protect specific files from being deleted during the looping process.
Are dash cams legal?
Dash cams are legal in the UK as long as you comply with data protection and privacy regulations. Find out more here. However, they are illegal in some countries, so if your vehicles travel abroad, check the country your vehicle will be visiting.
Should I notify my insurance broker if I install dash cams in my fleet or commercial vehicles?
Yes, notify your broker or insurer if you are installing dash cameras to your commercial fleets.
Here at Harborough Portas, if you are a customer, we can then review your current insurance policy and advise you on whether fitting dash cams will affect your policy or your insurance premium.
It is always best to notify your commercial insurance broker of any changes such as fitting dash cams.
Advantages of dash cams in your commercial vehicles and fleet
- The dash cam will capture evidence to submit to insurers when making a claim helping to reduce settlement times and reduce fraud.
- Dash cam video footage can provide protection and resolve issues around liability and can often highlight ‘crash for cash scams’.
- Cost savings can be made as many insurers offer premium discounts where dash cams are installed and active.
- Dash cams can record driver behaviour and encourage drivers to drive safely, legally and with care and consideration for other road users. Road Angel products include options to record general driving styles, including speed, braking, and cornering. This can help a business identify employees that are dangerous drivers and decide if additional driver training is required.
- Recorded footage can be used by business owners to support conversations with employees about driving style, driver safety and behaviour, to help reduce future incidents and claims.
- They can protect your business reputation from the damage that dangerous drivers can cause to your brand.
- Road Angel cameras provide 24/7 protection, featuring Parking Mode, reducing the risk of theft and vandalism.
- Road Angel offers a market leading 3-year warranty on their dash cam products.
- A potential staff benefit (offer our discounted prices to your employees for personal use).
Purchase discounted dash cams here through Harborough Portas and Road Angel.
Things to consider when installing dash cams
Whilst there are many benefits to installing dash cams into your commercial vehicles, there are also some things to consider. These are:
- Dash cams can provide vital evidence, but in some cases, they cannot provide ALL evidence, for example a hazard that wasn’t picked up by the angle of the camera. Deal with all incidents with employees cautiously and listen to their explanation in addition to watching footage.
- Privacy is a key factor to consider when telling employees you are installing dash cams. Ensure the footage is tightly controlled and only necessary people in the business have access. Assure employees that footage will only be used when an incident occurs or complaints made to reassure employees their privacy is not compromised.
- Ensure they are installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and do not obstruct a drivers view.
- Ensure you comply with GDPR regulations and register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) around the data you collect. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued recommendations, which include using dash cameras responsibly, respecting the privacy of others, and using the footage only for legitimate purposes. Find out more here.
- Ensure the dash cams you fit are tamper proof and footage cannot be downloaded, tampered with or deleted by employees.
- Ensure you buy a quality product such as Road Angel dash cams, cheaper models may not have the same picture quality and therefore may not support a legal or insurance case.
- If your cameras are in vehicles where passengers or the public are in the vehicle (i.e. coaches, mini buses etc) then you must clearly state on the vehicle that video recording equipment is on board and will be used to record incidents (especially if a camera is inward facing).
- Be aware that dash cam video footage where you or an employee are liable, the evidence can be used against you. Destroying criminal evidence is a legal offence, so footage should not be deleted if it is incriminating to you or an employee.
- Dash cams are illegal in some countries, so if your vehicles travel abroad, check the country your vehicle will be visiting.
About Road Angel
We have partnered with Road Angel Dash Cams to offer Harborough Portas customers a significant discount on dash cams for their vehicles.
Established in the UK in 2001, Road Angel have been delivering award winning, market-leading innovation for over 20 years. This approach to excellence is evidenced in the partnerships secured with global automotive brands including Bentley Motor Cars, Fiat Group, and many others.
Brokerbility (the nationwide insurance network community that Harborough Portas are members of) have secured the first insurance industry partnership with Road Angel to offer these camera’s out at discounted prices.
Purchase your discounted Road Angel dash cams here.
Summary
Dash cams can add huge value and benefits to your commercial vehicles and fleet. They provide evidence when it comes to insurance claims and can reduce insurance premiums, depending on your insurance provider and policy.
If you have any further questions, read the Road Angel Definitive Guide to Dash Cams or contact Harborough Portas.
