A dash cam is an invaluable tool for any trucker. The tiny little cameras give a feeling of security as they record every detail that happen on the road. The best dash cams for truckers will offer protection to the truck drivers at all times.
Top Reasons Why Truckers Should Use a Dash Cam
Capture Events and Provide Supporting Evidence
Road accidents are unfortunate. Even if you are careful on the road, you could get involved in an accident for no fault of yours. The best trucking dash cam offers a lot of value in such circumstances.
With the help of a G-sensor that gets triggered by impact, the dash cam captures everything in fine detail. The camera will capture details that people involved in an accident might not remember or recollect.
The video recording of the camera will serve as evidence. Using dash cam evidence, you can identify those responsible for the accident. Some dash cams work even in low-light conditions. Infrared technology and night vision enable the camera to capture everything.
The dash cams will capture small details like the license plate of other vehicles on the road that you might forget at time of the accident.
Increase Parking Security
Trucks parked overnight are always a target for thieves. Multi lens cameras help increase parking security. The dash cams will record everything where a truck gets parked. Even though the dash cams will not prevent theft, you will have evidence about the theft.
Enhance Driver Awareness
When driving on the road, there are many challenges that a trucker might face. Blind spots are one such challenge. The dashcam will help navigate the blind spots. It will help the truckers drive safely on the road.
Coach and Train Truck Drivers
Many truck owners make use of dash cams to coach and train truck drivers. The cameras get used to watching new drivers. The truck owners will be able to see what the drivers see on the road when driving.
From the recorded session, the truck owners will identify the mistakes the drivers make on the road. Using videos of safe driving, the trainee drivers get taught how to drive on the road. The training sessions get based on the actual footage.
Get Motivated and Rewarded for Safe Driving
Dash cams motivate truck drivers to drive safely. When the drivers know that their actions on the road get recorded, they will feel more accountable. It will ensure better compliance with road rules.
If you want to improve fleet safety and fleet management practices, you can start a driver reward program. The truck owners can base the incentives on dash cam footage. The safest drivers in the fleet should get rewards and recognition.
When the truck drivers get recognized and rewarded, it will motivate other drivers to follow the rules and drive safely on the road.
Boost Chances of Lower Insurance Premium Rates
When you install the best dash cam for pickup trucks on your fleet of trucks, you will signify your commitment to road safety to the insurance firms. The innovative technology reduces the chances of accidents by improving driver behavior. Due to this, many insurance firms offer discounts on premium rates.
Different Types of Trucker Dash Cams
The best dash cam for truckers gets available in different types and sizes.
Single Lens
The single-lens dashboard camera recorder is the most basic type. The camera uses the wide-angle lens to capture everything in front of it. The lens has a large field of view.
The standard dashboard camera will record the view from the front windscreen of the truck. It means the videos captured will match the perspective of the driver. Single-lens limits coverage. The details it can record also get limited. Installation is easy. It is a good choice if you are on a budget.
Multi-Lens
When you have dual or more cameras, it increases the coverage area and the trucker’s real-time view. Dual lens dash cams are the most common multi-lens camera available in the market.
Both the lenses get built into the body. It helps cover the front and the interior. Some dash cams have multi-lens kits. You can choose to place the cameras around the truck for extra security.
How to Choose the Right Truck Dash Cam - What to Look for or Consider?
Camera
The camera is an essential part of the dash cam. It will help capture explicit videos and images. If you want to get the best in recording quality, the camera will need a clean glass lens, a wide recording angle, and sound recording resolution. A high-definition recording is ideal for most pickup trucks that use dash cams.
High resolutions 2K - 4K are standard in some dash cams. You will find these resolutions to be best if you want superior video quality. A recording angle of 170 degrees is best for cam truckers.
Lens
Always ensure that the lens quality of the cam for truckers is the very best. A good quality will help you capture better images and video.
Display
A built-in display is necessary if you want to see the actual footage that gets recorded. More extensive displays are ideal for real-time use. The LCD screen size of 3 inches and more are best when using advanced safety features such as blind-spot monitoring.
A resolution of 1080p is best for spotting even small details. A large screen makes settings and menus user-friendly.
Memory
Most of the dash cams that get used on trucks don’t record everything they see. It is because of this aspect that memory gains significance. Some dash cams turn on only when an accident gets detected or when the user manually sets it.
With limited memory, dash cams make use of loop recording to capture footage for a few minutes. The old recording gets deleted when new footage gets added. You can opt for the SD expandable memory cards for extra memory.
Number of Cameras
Trucks are often massive, and a single camera will not capture everything with a single dash cam. Most of the blind spots around the truck will not get captured. If you opt for a greater number of cameras, you will be able to record everything.
Safety Features
The best dash cam with advanced safety features will enhance reaction time and driver awareness. The most common safety features include night time recording, red light detection, lane change assist, parking and blind-spot mode systems.
Durability
The best dash cam for truckers should be reliable and high-quality. It is especially true if you get involved in any accidents and lawsuits about investigations by the insurance companies, government agencies and more. You can also opt for heavy-duty or extreme dash cams and with IP68 (dustproof and waterproof).
Video Resolution
When reviewing footage, you must get the best video quality. It will help identify objects, people, and other information.
Ease of Operation
A good quality dash cam increases your safety and improves driving behavior. The devices should be easy to use so that you can concentrate on your driving.
Size
You must pay attention to the size of the camera. A large size camera will be able to capture more information than a small-sized camera.
Extra Features
Some dash cams have more features like artificial intelligence. The features will help you get in-depth insights and data that you can use to improve your driving.
GPS
A GPS data logging system will allow you to match a timestamp to a particular location. You also have the option of turning off the GPS feature when you choose the best dash cams for truck drivers.
Night Vision
The night vision feature is something that no dash cam can do without. The feature helps the cam see everything as clearly as you see things during the day.
Parking Mode
Parked alert features are available with some hardwired dash cam systems. It will help record any bangs or bumps to your truck when parked.
Remote
The remote will help control the camera. You will be able to operate the camera from a distance and keep track of everything.
Check Out the 7 Best Dash Cam for Truckers
Let's take a close look at our top choices below.
1. Rexing V1, 170° Wide Angle Dashboard Camera Recorder, G-Sensor, Loop Recording
The Rexing V1 is available with a 4K video resolution. It makes it one of the best dash cams for pickup trucks. The 2160p resolution offers incredible video quality, which is four times superior to the normal 1080p recording.
The dashboard camera will capture clear images with high contrast and rich color performance. The design of the V1 is discreet. The sleek black exterior makes it elusive to other drivers.
The best dash cam for truckers gets built to withstand extreme temperatures. You will be able to operate the camera at a low temperature of -20°F and a high of 176°F.
The built-in Wi-Fi feature enables you to transfer the data from the dash cam to your smartphone. The supercapacitor delivers power, and this makes the dashboard camera reliable. If a collision gets detected by the G sensor, the current video gets locked.
The parking surveillance mode helps track the truck when parked. The dash cam starts recording when it detects vibration. The loop recording feature will automatically erase old recordings when the memory card gets full. The 170 degrees ultra-wide-angle lens enables the camera to capture the entire road.
The Old Shark full HD dash cam helps capture every moment both during day and night driving. The best dash cam for truck drivers has a premium sensor. It helps produce highly detailed footage. In low light conditions, you will have to adjust the exposure in the setting for better recordings.
The zinc alloy metal shell of the camera offers protection from heat. It also makes the device durable. The high temperature will not affect the functioning of the camera. Avoid exposing the dashcam to the sun for a long time.
The auto on and off feature makes recording convenient. The dash cam automatically switches on when the engine ignition is on. Similarly, it shuts down when the engine ignition is off.
If the G sensor detects an accident, it will immediately lock the current video. It ensures that the footage gets protected. If you witness an accident, you can use the mode key to record and lock the recent video footage.
The loop recording feature is seamless, and it helps overwrite old footage so that new recordings can get retained. It ensures that the 32GB card is never complete. The night vision feature enables you to capture clear images even in darkness.
The Toguard dual dash cam captures clear photos and videos even in low light conditions. It is the best semi truck dash camera. The camera will capture road signs and license plates clearly, even at night.
The dual dash cam front and truck cabin cameras have advanced sensors. It helps record footage of the road and the cabin at the same time. The picture and video quality are sharp. The auto power switches on and records when the truck engine starts.
Loop recording overwrites the old footage with the new until the memory card reaches its maximum capacity. All these features make it the best dash cam for semi trucks. The 170° wide-angle front lens camera captures the entire road. The angle of the dual dash cam helps record the license plates in front of your truck.
The 170° cabin camera enhances the video even at low light conditions. The G sensor is a great feature that records sudden bumps and braking. The feature helps record every event in an accident. The accident video footage gets locked and saved immediately.
The dash cam lens A/B direction can get switched on. Most often, lens A faces backward. It records events happening inside the truck. Lens B faces forward and records events happening on the road.
If you want to change the direction of the lenses, you will have to do so manually. You will then have to turn on the lens exchange feature to correct the direction of the image.
The dual dash cam parking monitor feature protects the truck after it gets parked. With this feature on, when you stop the truck, the camera turns off. The camera will stay on standby, and when a significant shock or movement happens, it will start recording automatically. The camera records a short video and then turns off.
The motion detection feature turns on the dual dash camera automatically when any motion is detected. The comprehensive dynamic range feature helps in optimizing the video quality. It uses wide image and light range details.
KDLinks R100 is a high-quality user-friendly night vision camera. The anti-glare dual lens dash cam has a five-inch in-built IPS screen. The dash cam mount offers the option of front/dual or only front cam modes. The high-definition recording of the dashboard camera gets done in a continuous loop.
The automatic motion detection feature starts recording immediately when it detects any motion. The recording is only for a short period. The camera will shut off automatically even when the truck is off.
The advanced parking feature protects your truck even when it is parked. The six-glass lens design and WDR (wide dynamic range) enable you to get a high-definition recording. The recording quality is good both during the day and night.
The full HD dash cam system supports a 64GB or 128 GB micro-SD card. The internal battery provides support even when you don’t have regular power input. The night vision camera helps capture videos even in low light conditions.
The Garmin dash cam enables you to control it with your voice. All you need to say is “Ok, Garmin”, and the dash cam will automatically capture photos and videos. Repeat the same instruction to stop the video capture feature.
The extra-wide 180-degree angle is best as it enables you to capture a lot more. It includes GPS location data, detailed time, and pinpoints the place where any specific event occurred. Garmin is the best dash camera for trucks.
The continuous loop feature helps record non-stop. You will be able to playback the recording on the dash cam display. Apart from this, you can also make use of the Garmin app to review the footage. The dash cam auto-sync feature enables you to wirelessly connect up to four cams at the back, front, and sides of the truck. It will give you a 360-degree view of what is happening around the truck.
The driver alerts include lane departure warnings, forward collision, and go alerts. It ensures safety on the road. Speed camera location and red-light camera alerts are features you can update in the dash cam if you want.
The BlackVue redefines expectations for dash cam video clarity. The Sony Travis image sensor ensures the best image quality in any light conditions.
The dash cam for truckers provides a vast 162 degrees angle. The rear dash camera offers a 139-degree angle. The front and rear cam for truckers capture all the details when driving or when the truck is in parking mode.
The sleek design and controls of the dash camera give it an edge over its competitors. The proximity sensor feature enables you to start the audio recording by only waving your hand in front of the dash cam.
The sensor can get configured to capture manual event videos. The Wi-Fi feature can be switched on/off as per your specific needs. It enables you to check on your truck anytime.
Wheelwitness HD offers every feature you want in a dash cam. The HD pro dash cam offers the best protection to truckers as evidence gets recorded when the truck gets driven or parked. The night vision feature helps protect truckers as it captures footage even at night.
The 170-degree angle of the Wheelwitness HD pro camera helps capture many details. You will be able to auto-switch to parking mode when you have parked your truck. It is one of the best dash cams for trucks.
The WDR technology of the Wheelwitness HD pro camera helps get sharp images. The loop recording feature of the dash cam ensures that new videos get recorded and old ones deleted. It provides adequate memory space.
The GPS feature of the Wheelwitness HD pro camera enables you to capture the location, speed, and other coordinates of the truck. Truckers can use the HD pro dash cam to gain information about the location movement of the truck.
In Summary
Our pick of the best dash cam for truckers is Rexing V1, 170° Wide Angle Dashboard Camera Recorder, G-Sensor, Loop Recording. The top-rated dash cam is the best for hot weather and provides incredible pictures and videos.