On this page
- What Does a Truck Dashcam Record?
- What Could Dashcam Footage Show Before an Accident?
- What Is a Driver-Facing Camera?
- Are Trucking Companies Required to Have Dashcams?
- Is a Dashcam the Same as an ELD or Black Box?
- Can Dashcam Footage Tell the Whole Story?
- Why Can Preserving Dashcam Footage Matter?
- Why Does It Matter After an Accident?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Dashcams
Dashcams are used for several reasons. A trucking company may use cameras for driver training, safety programs, security, or to better understand what happened during an incident on the road.
After a serious truck accident, dashcam footage can sometimes become an important piece of evidence. Video may show traffic conditions, other vehicles, road signs, weather, or events immediately before a collision.
However, not every commercial truck has a dashcam, and not every camera records or saves footage in the same way. Investigators first have to determine whether a camera existed, what it was designed to record, and whether footage from the accident was preserved.
What Does a Truck Dashcam Record?
The answer depends on the camera system.
A basic forward-facing dashcam records the roadway in front of the truck. More advanced commercial systems can use several cameras or sensors.
Depending on the equipment installed, a system might include:
- A forward-facing road camera
- A driver-facing camera
- Side-mounted cameras
- Rear-facing cameras
- Audio recording
- GPS information
- Time and date information
- Other information connected with the fleet's safety system
Not every dashcam has all of these features.
Some systems record continuously. Others may save clips when a particular event occurs, such as sudden braking, a sharp movement, or another event detected by the system.
Because camera systems vary, investigators should not assume what a truck's dashcam recorded until the actual equipment and available footage are identified.
What Could Dashcam Footage Show Before an Accident?
A forward-facing camera may provide a view of the roadway in the moments before a collision.
Depending on where the camera was positioned and what was visible, footage could potentially show:
- Traffic signals
- Traffic congestion
- Lane markings
- Vehicles changing lanes
- Vehicles entering an intersection
- Road construction
- Weather conditions
- Objects in the roadway
- The movement of surrounding vehicles
- The sequence of events leading to the crash
This can be useful because people involved in an accident may remember events differently.
A camera does not have the same memory problems that a person can have. However, video also has limitations. A camera only records what falls within its view, and the angle may not show everything happening around the truck.
That is why dashcam footage should usually be considered together with the other evidence.
What Is a Driver-Facing Camera?
Some commercial trucks use cameras pointed toward the driver.
These are often called driver-facing cameras or inward-facing cameras.
Depending on the system, a driver-facing camera could potentially capture the driver's actions around the time of an event. For example, available footage might help investigators understand whether the driver's hands or attention appeared to be directed toward driving.
But video should be interpreted carefully.
A short clip may not explain everything that happened before or after the recorded moment. The camera angle can also affect what is visible.
The existence of driver-facing footage does not automatically mean a driver was distracted, fatigued, or doing something improper. Investigators still have to examine what the footage actually shows and compare it with other evidence.
Are Trucking Companies Required to Have Dashcams?
Drivers and trucking companies are subject to many federal safety regulations, but investigators should not assume that every commercial truck is legally required to have a dashcam.
A trucking company may choose to install cameras as part of its own safety or fleet-management program.
That distinction matters after an accident.
If a truck does not have dashcam footage, that fact alone does not necessarily mean the company violated a federal safety rule.
Instead, the first question should be whether the particular truck had a camera system and, if so, what information that system recorded.
Is a Dashcam the Same as an ELD or Black Box?
No. These systems can provide different types of evidence.
An ELD, or electronic logging device, is primarily used to record a covered commercial driver's driving time and duty status.
A truck's black-box-type electronic systems may store information about the vehicle's operation, depending on the truck and equipment.
A dashcam records video.
An easy way to remember the difference is:
ELD = driver's driving and duty timeline
Black box = electronic vehicle information that may be available
Dashcam = video of what the camera could see
After an accident, investigators may examine all three because each can answer different questions.
Can Dashcam Footage Tell the Whole Story?
Usually not by itself.
Video can be powerful evidence because it gives investigators a visual record, but the camera may only show one angle.
For example, a forward-facing camera may show what happened directly in front of the truck but not show a vehicle approaching from the side. A driver-facing camera may show the driver but not everything happening outside.
Investigators may therefore compare video with:
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Photographs
- ELD records
- Electronic vehicle data
- GPS or telematics information
- Dispatch records
- Physical roadway evidence
- Vehicle damage
- Other available video
Nearby businesses, homes, traffic systems, or other vehicles may also have cameras that captured part of an accident.
Using several sources of evidence can provide a more complete understanding than relying on one camera angle.
Why Can Preserving Dashcam Footage Matter?
Digital video is not necessarily stored forever.
How long footage remains available depends on the camera system, storage method, company practices, and other factors. Some systems may eventually overwrite older footage as new recordings are created.
That makes identifying potentially relevant video important after a serious collision.
Investigators may need to determine whether the truck had a camera, who controlled the system, where the video was stored, and whether footage from the relevant time period still exists.
The same idea applies to other possible video evidence. A nearby business or another vehicle may have captured the collision without anyone initially realizing it.
Why Does It Matter After an Accident?
Dashcam footage can help investigators see events that might otherwise have to be reconstructed entirely from physical evidence and people's memories.
Suppose two drivers disagree about which vehicle entered a lane first. If a camera clearly captured that part of the roadway, the footage could provide useful information.
But even then, investigators should look at the full context rather than treating a short video clip as the only evidence that matters.
At Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates, when we investigate a serious Louisiana truck accident, we can look for available video evidence and compare it with the other records surrounding the collision. That may include truck dashcam footage, nearby surveillance video, ELD information, electronic vehicle data, photographs, witness accounts, and other evidence.
If dashcam footage exists, we can examine what it actually shows and how it fits with the rest of the evidence. Our goal is to use all available information to help develop a clearer picture of how the collision occurred rather than relying on assumptions or a single version of events.
Frequently Asked Questions About Truck Dashcams
Do all 18-wheelers have dashcams?
No. Many commercial fleets use camera systems, but investigators should not assume every 18-wheeler has one. The equipment installed on the particular truck needs to be identified.
Can a truck dashcam record the driver?
Some systems include driver-facing cameras, while others only record the roadway. More advanced systems may use multiple camera angles. What was recorded depends on the equipment installed in the truck.
Is a dashcam the same as an ELD?
No. A dashcam records video, while an ELD primarily records information related to a driver's driving time and duty status. Both may provide useful but different information after a truck accident.
Can dashcam footage prove who caused a truck accident?
Dashcam footage can provide important evidence, but it does not automatically establish legal responsibility. The camera may only show one angle or part of the accident. Investigators should evaluate the footage with the other available evidence.
How would we use dashcam footage in a truck accident investigation?
At Jacqueline A. Scott & Associates, we can examine available footage to see what it shows about the events surrounding a collision and compare it with other evidence. Video may help us confirm a timeline, understand vehicle movements, evaluate different accounts of the crash, or identify additional evidence that needs to be investigated.
This article is general information about Louisiana law and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines can change, and every case depends on its own facts. Past results do not guarantee or predict future outcomes. Reading this page or contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
