In the trucking industry, the risk of a driver being involved in an accident is a constant worry. Beyond endangering lives and damaging cargo, accidents expose carriers to serious legal liability—even when their drivers aren’t at fault.
The worst-case scenario? A nuclear verdict—an award far exceeding the actual damages of the crash—which happens even when the other driver is responsible. In fact, the average size of such verdicts jumped nearly 1,000% between 2010 and 2018, rising to $22.3 million, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
Too often, truck drivers are assumed to be at fault, even when driving at safe speeds and following regulations. That’s where video telematics can help. On top of protecting your drivers from catastrophic verdicts, these solutions can also speed up investigations, improve fleet performance, and prevent costly lawsuits from hurting your business.
Telematics tells the full story
Piecing together why an accident happened—and who is at fault—can be a long, complex process. And the final verdict isn’t always accurate. As courts are catching up on their post-COVID backlog of cases, the legal system is seeing a renewed surge in high-dollar transportation lawsuits.
“The plaintiffs’ bar is a well-funded, well-organized, aggressive force out there right now. They’re absolutely coming after transportation and what they view as a deep pocket,” says Todd Reiser, Senior Vice President at Lockton Cos.
Yet the data tells a different story. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, truck drivers are less likely to break traffic laws or drive recklessly than passenger vehicle drivers. In 2022, large trucks made up 5% of registered vehicles and 10% of total miles driven—but only 10% of fatal crashes and 5% of nonfatal ones.
When your driver isn’t at fault, video can be your strongest advocate. It can help exonerate drivers, reduce false claims, speed up investigations, and shield your business against massive legal losses.
Video capture devices like the EROAD Clarity Edge AI Dashcam even go a step further, by capturing high-quality video footage that can detect 99.3% of safety events normally missed by standard systems. Built-in real-time coaching and risk insights help your drivers build safer habits while giving your business the protection it needs from wrongful claims.
Fleet oversight becomes easier and more effective
Dashcams show what happens on the road, but what about trailers that aren’t on the move? Most fleets have more trailers than tractors, which makes complete asset visibility a serious challenge. Lost, stolen, or underutilized equipment can quietly drain resources right from under your nose.
Better oversight means fewer surprises. With better visibility across your entire fleet, you can account for every part of your fleet and avoid wasting time and money chasing down your own assets.
This is where asset tracking comes into play. Solutions like the EROAD Asset Tracker give you full visibility into your equipment—you’ll know where it is, how long it’s been there, and when it needs your attention.
When integrated with your telematics platform, asset tracking becomes part of a fully connected system—giving you complete, end-to-end oversight without complicating your day-to-day operations.
Smarter insights keep things moving more efficiently
Beyond capturing safety events, telematics offers a 360-degree view of your vehicles—from driver behavior to engine performance and cargo conditions. This effectively turns each vehicle in your fleet into a data-rich IoT hub to help you make faster, more informed decisions.
With a platform like EROAD’s CoreHub, you can monitor everything from engine diagnostics and fuel usage, to driver hours and even cargo conditions, all from one connected user interface. This central visibility allows you to catch problems early, reduce downtime, and improve fleet-wide efficiency.
By highlighting key trends and performance patterns, telematics also helps your team anticipate maintenance needs, stay on top of compliance requirements, and build stronger safety practices. Whether you’re managing a small fleet or overseeing hundreds of vehicles, having the right data at your fingertips is the key to staying in control.
Video telematics for every fleet
Whatever the size, type, or use of your fleet, EROAD’s telematics solutions are designed to give you the visibility and data to act with confidence. From boosting fleet operations to protecting your business from courtroom battles, telematics pays for itself mile after mile.
Ready to take the next step toward a safer, more efficient fleet? EROAD’s telematics solutions are built to simplify operations, improve safety, and give you total confidence on the road. Find out more about EROAD solutions today.
