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Vehicle Camera System Limited (VCSL) has launched the next generation of its TruScene camera system for commercial vehicles, which is designed to help prove liability in the event of an accident.
Ceva Logistics, which trialled the system, achieved a 68 per cent reduction in blameworthy collisions, a 33 per cent reduction in non-blameworthy collisions and got a return on investment within three months.
The camera records the last 25 seconds before an incident and five seconds after on a continuous memory loop, which when subjected to a sufficiently strong impact will automatically save the 30 second of evidence.
It is attached to the top of a vehicle’s windscreen and is connected to the ignition, but following an incident it can be removed for manual recording of damage outside the vehicle.
All recorded footage is fully encrypted to ensure clips are tamper-proof. Any data is then saved onto the TruScene database for three and a half years.
Dean Taylor, managing director of VCSL, who developed the camera after he was held accountable for an accident that wasn’t his fault due to a false witness statement, said: “VCSL has demonstrated that in over 2,000 lorry months of fleet trials, our cameras have reduced accidents by 70 per cent and in three incidents, clear evidence has enabled blame to be apportioned elsewhere.”
Ceva undertook a six month trial and installed the camera into 220 lorries, and is now including it as part of its standard new vehicle specification.
Andy Jenkins, operations training manager, said Ceva has reduced claim costs, as well as lower the number of accidents caused in the first place through improved driver behaviour.
Ceva has been able to lower the cost per accident by 75 per cent, a reduction of £1,650 per incident.
An additional feature is the Traffic Light Notification System, which tells the driver whether he/she is driving in an acceptable, unsatisfactory or unacceptable manner via a visual and audible aid linked to the camera, which is designed to help prevent accidents from occurring in the first place.
The light will remain green if the driver is driving safety, but will turn to amber and sound an alarm he/she begins to drive at all erratically. If the driver’s behaviour is unacceptable the light will change to red and sound the alarm. The camera records all footage when the light is amber or red.
Jenkins said: “We have noticed a marked improvement in our drivers’ behaviour and general awareness on the road… Our drivers also feel extremely confident that if they are involved in an incident they will be accurately represented due to TruScene’s ability to produce hard video evidence of what actually took place, which is a great peace of mind for them and a huge help to those of us managing insurance claims.”
