New Camera System Coming to all company trucks.

Going back to the 'Exoneration' thing. I'm sure like many companies, Swift is looking at the Walmart v Tracy Morgan crash as an example of what to avoid. I imagine Swift's lawyers did a big roundtable putting out 'what ifs' and scenarios etc all looking to avoid what Walmart has already done-- paid $10 million out already for this crash and they aren't even done paying yet.

They figure if the Walmart driver had a camera looking at him, they could go in and cherry pick times when he was opening a 5 hour energy drink, or lighting a cigarette, something anything, maybe yawning anything to 'exonerate' the trucking company itself and transfer that $10 million liability over to the truck driver.

 

Let me say a few things in this my last post on driver facing cam issue. I appreciate your opinion Witchy.

I choose Swift in spite of a number of negatives spewed forth in this forum.

I enjoyed my time at Swift. Were there things I disagreed?? Of course. That won't change with another company. You simply learn how to make their policies work for you. It's not that difficult. Call them "rants" or "tirades", those are YOUR labels, not mine. I simply want all to know the POSSIBILITIES and not the company doublespeak.

1.) A driver facing cam will NEVER "exonerate" a driver. EVER. It will however be used to shift liability TO the driver.

2.) 4GB of memory on the camera will always be there. Will companies "live monitor" drivers?? Of course not, the logistics are overwhelming. However, that video is always available.

3.) The MOST scary part of Swift's decision is to involve a THIRD party. All drivers need to understand you will now have a relationship with NOT only Swift, but the parent company of "drive cam". There is NO way for Swift to insure the security of the video from your truck's camera.

Now, the decision to drive or not drive for companies using driver facing cameras is a personal one. Just go into it with eyes open. For me, the negatives are overwhelming. I see ZERO driver benefit for a driver facing cam let alone one the driver has ZERO control over. I'd buy a dash cam with my own money. I believe in them. I'd NEVER EVER put a driver facing cam in my vehicle, personal or employment.

Hope all works out for each of you.

 

I can see it now....

Some lawyer going after a driver chewing gum while driving calling it "distracted driving" and putting him at fault.. all thanks to a driver cam.
Oh he smoked a cig while driving and was in an accident! send him to jail and sue for millions!

There is NOTHING a driver facing camera can do that can benefit the driver.. it's just another tool to go after the driver as usual.
If a driver picked his nose 30 seconds before an accident you can be sure some ******* lawyer will try to use that against him.

 

Except for one small fact... Without the camera, the driver is AUTOMATICALLY liable. Video proof is not needed.

If an accident occurs because a driver is texting, then the driver SHOULD be held liable. A prosecutor is going to have a VERY hard sell trying to pin liability on a driver simply because he was lighting a cigarette.

I'm willing to bet that most of the people complaining about these cameras do so because they KNOW that they are doing unsafe things, and don't want to get caught doing them. Yes, the inward facing camera is a deterrent, which is the real reason Swift is installing them. Fewer accidents mean fewer payouts.

Now if only their claims department would quit paying out $6000 in damages for cars with a $2200 book value...

 

Lighting a cigarette is a distraction. Changing the radio station is a distraction. Eating is a distraction. Drinking coffee is a distraction. Adjusting your hat is a distraction. Glancing at your notebook to see which exit you're looking for is a distraction. The list of distractions has no end. Basically, if you don't have both hands on the wheel and eyes constantly scanning the road and mirrors, there will be potential for the video to be used against you. If the prosecutor or plaintiff's attorney can twist it to their favor, that footage CAN AND WILL BE used against you.

The driver isn't "automatically liable" for anything. If another driver causes a wreck...say they cut you off and slam on the brakes causing you to rear end them, a dash cam that shows the other driver's action or witness statements describing the incident will exonerate the driver. There is no additional benefit to having a video of the driver. If the video of the driver, however, reveals that in the few seconds prior to the crash, he was doing anything that could even be remotely considered a "distraction", now some of the blame starts getting pushed back towards the driver.

And no, it wouldn't be a "hard sell" because there is now video proof that 100% of his attention wasn't focused on driving. In other words, he was distracted.

 

Uh oh! Somebody drank the Kool-Aid.

 

Resistence is Futile. The Mind Control Machine is hard at work. I have already seen ads in the truck stop newspaper The Trucker for the driver facing cams. Shows a respectable driver with the arguments against the cams on the one side and the argument for the cams on the other.

GeeWhiz what is their (driver cam makers) stake in the game? Oh yeah they want to hardcore sell it on the drivers, they've already won over the truck companies and insurance companies, last piece, get the drivers to agree and the driver cam company gets to install and provide continuing support 4 million cams and act as 3rd party intermediary-- talking big busine$$.

Don't fall for it folks. When they use keywords like "Exonerate" "in-cab coach" or "we can't see it live streaming" these are the sharp little baited hooks they want you to swallow. After that they haul you up then they cut your head and tail off and pull your guts out and filet you then throw you in the frying pan.

 

HIS HAND WENT FOR THE TURN SIGNAL! Distracted driver taking his hands off the wheel! Send him to jail!


Lawyers can and will use any little thing against you.
If that silly camera shows you blinking a lot during driving you can bet some lawyer will try and use that also!
No way jose would I ever drive for a company with driver cams.

 

i have nothing to hide, however t do not need a cam in my face. i sure as ѕhit do not need audio recorded