If you are a professional driver, you will spend a lot of time behind the wheel. During this time, you will likely see your fair share of accidents (hopefully you will not be involved in one). Some of the accidents are avoidable, others unavoidable but there is no accident that is pretty.
As a driver, there are some kit of ‘essentials’ that you cannot do without including a dash cam. It is very important for every HGV driver in the country to have this little gadget in their cab because of a number of reasons, this will be explored in your HGV and LGV training. In this article, we are going to explain these reasons to help you make your driving time safer. Here are the major reasons why it is important for an HGV drive to have a dash cam:
Captures What Happens in An Accident
Car accidents can occur anywhere at any time and happen for a number of reasons. These accidents happen fast, and it may be difficult for a driver involved in such an accident to know what happened. In fact, it can take a while for insurance providers to determine what happened to determine fault. Even though it is not possible for a dash cam to prevent a car accident, it will make dealing with the aftermath a little easier.
An HGV driver’s yearly insurance premium is pretty high. So, as an HGV driver, the last thing you need is to be blamed for an error you did not make or an accident you did not cause. Dash cams can clearly show what happened in an impartial way, what caused the collision and the steps you took to prevent the collision.
It will help with your car insurance claim as it will offer video evidence of what exactly happened in the accident and can help you prove that you are not to blame. With a dash cam, you have supporting evidence at your fingertips.
It Helps Drivers Avoid ‘Crash for Cash’ Scams
Some drivers cause car accidents on purpose for financial gain. These scammers cause accidents and stage them to look like the other driver is responsible for the accident and then file an insurance claim against that driver. They usually slow down on a busy road or slam on the brakes suddenly and unnecessarily.
A dash cam will protect you against these scammers as they will show where or not an accident was staged. So, even if a scammer causes an accident, the footage will help you avoid being a victim of cash for crash scam. The accidents can still happen, but you will not lose money to these scammers as the dash cam will help you fight the insurance claims.
Reporting Bad Drivers
As a driver, you will see many things while driving including your fair share of bad drivers. These drivers put themselves and other road users at high risk by cutting someone off, tailgating or stupid driving. It is even worse if they are professional drivers operating a commercial vehicle.
A dash cam can help you catch bad drivers in the act as it records them driving. It also makes it easy to report them to their employer or the police as it provides physical evidence. Keep in mind that the fewer the bad drivers on the road, the better.