What to Know About OTR Truck Dash Cameras

Post Date - Oct 28, 2024

If you’re an owner operator looking to partner with a large company such as Roadrunner, your truck may need to have a dash camera installed for safety and insurance reasons. Unlike other companies, Roadrunner only uses dash cameras that look outside the cab of your truck. The camera is only reviewed in incidents that trigger recording, including the following:

  1. Hard breaking- inside the camera is a geo-force ball to detect rapid changes in speed, such as hard braking. If you brake too quickly and hard, it can lead to jackknifing or skidding, increase the chances of the brake systems failing, and cause unsafe changes in the cargo.
  2. Unsafe cornering- the geo-force ball detects unsafe cornering as well. If a truck corners too quickly due to the high center of gravity, there’s a bigger chance of tipping or rolling the trailer, losing control, or clipping nearby objects. Additionally, it may shift the cargo which can throw off the truck’s balance when you’re driving.
  3. Parking on the side of the highway- it is illegal to pull your truck off to the side of the highway except in case of emergencies. It also can be dangerous in low-visibility conditions, such as nighttime, rain, or fog, and increase the chance of accidents. If it is not an emergency, find the nearest and safest rest area or truck stop.
  4. Speeding- the camera paired with GPS is able to detect the truck’s speed and match it with the posted speed limit for the area. This data is always vetted by Roadrunner to ensure it is accurate since posted speed limits and GPS recordings aren’t entirely accurate.

While it’s crucial for companies to ensure their drivers are safely transporting cargo, it’s just as imperative for drivers to be aware of the actions listed above and the potential for dangerous outcomes. Roadrunner only places forward-facing dash cams in our owner operators’ trucks and will always check any reported incident to ensure accuracy. If you put safety first as a driver, you’re who we want to partner with! Connect with a recruiter today. Submit your application! Run Safe. Run Smart. Run with Roadrunner!