Should Professional Drivers Consider a Dashboard Camera?

Professional drivers should consider taking some basic steps to ensure that they come out of any car accident in a favorable position, and installing a dashboard camera is one of the best ways to do so. Here's why.

Car Accident Evidence

Our first reason why a dashboard camera can help driving professionals is also the most important. It is obtaining evidence after a car crash. What often happens after a collision is that the other driver will have a radically different story than you. As a result, you may or may not be able to prove precisely what happened leading up to the accident. A camera mitigates this effect by giving you video evidence of the event.

In the case of workers’ compensation, you might not need video evidence. The reason is that this legal framework is a no-fault system, meaning that accidents should be covered no matter what. Still, the other driver could accuse you of extreme negligence, in which case you might lose your benefits. Having video proof that you were not acting in such a way can help ensure you get the legal compensation you are entitled to.

Protection Against Bad Drivers

Every driving professional knows just how many bad drivers there are on the road. Whether they’re aggressive, fast, or merely unskilled, each one of them presents a hazard to you. One thing workers often like to do after a negative interaction with these drivers is report them for their hazardous behavior. Though doing so might seem petty, it actually increases the safety of you and everyone else on the road. If the police follow up with that complaint, it might motivate that driver to become a safer member of the community. If you do choose to report someone, having dashboard camera footage of their wrongdoing will help your case.

Preventing Fraud

Many people never believe insurance fraud until it happens to them. What makes it so unbelievable is that people will fake a car accident and then lie about what happened until they get paid. One typical case is a driver reversing into you and then claiming that you rear-ended them. Another is a pedestrian flailing into your vehicle when you’re stopped at an intersection. No matter what the conditions are surrounding your fraudulent case, having a dashboard camera can protect you and your company from liability.

If you’re a driving professional, following basic safety guidelines is your best bet at staying safe throughout your career. Some of the most important of them include not speeding, driving defensively, staying sober, and resisting distractions. If you ever do get into an accident, having video evidence could be crucial in your work injury case. No matter what, it's a good idea to speak with a St. Louis workers compensation lawyer about your potential benefits.