Beyond Driver Exoneration: How Dash Cams Reduce Exposure To Nuclear Verdicts

Dash cam footage can help exonerate drivers of company vehicles and defend them in the face of costly litigation. Use these four steps to build a best-in-class safety program.

Sponsored by

By Mark Schedler
Sr. Transport Management Editor
J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

Excessive verdicts in the United States have spread at an alarming rate. This trend has put any landscaping company that does not use best-in-class safety practices at the risk of being put out of business.

dash cam footage

A 2020 American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) study1 found:

  • From 2015 to 2019, there were nearly 300 verdicts over $1 million; and
  • From 2010 to 2018, the number of verdicts over $10 million nearly doubled, and the dollar amount of awards grew 51.7% annually.

If you’re considering using dash cam footage to help exonerate drivers of your company vehicles and want to be defendable in the face of costly litigation, use these four steps to build a best-in-class safety program.

1. Obtain management support.

Management’s attitudes, values, and beliefs drive a company’s culture. Collaboration with the leadership team is imperative to create a proactive safety program. Leaders must uphold policies and best practices that keep all employees safe, including your vehicle drivers.

In a 2024 J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights survey, 51 percent of managers indicated that the most significant determinant of running a safe operation was that their leadership consistently shows that safety is important.

2. Develop and enforce policies and procedures that exceed regulations.

Another significant finding in the 2020 ATRI study was that pre-crash actions by companies are critical. Plaintiff and company defense attorneys agreed that “crash avoidance is EVERYTHING.” They also agreed that companies must always follow policies and procedures and should exceed the regulations.

Policies and procedures are the safety management controls that, when consistently enforced, guide your team to stay compliant, maintain company safety standards, and drive improvement.

3. Use video in a corrective action training (CAT) program.

A plaintiff’s attorney in post-crash litigation can claim negligence if there is any failure to follow policies, procedures, or reasonable practices that find, coach, and remediate high-risk behavior.

Timely detection and correction of unsafe behavior through video-based coaching:

  • Helps prevent crashes and violations,
  • Reduces potential liability, and
  • Improves employee retention.

A well-designed CAT program will also align with state labor laws, contracts, and any union agreements.

4. Share safety improvements.

To obtain an insurance policy renewal at the lowest possible premium, a company must be able to share with an underwriter:

  • The level of risk regarding recent crash and loss experience,
  • The root cause of severe crashes and high-frequency minor crashes, and
  • The actions to address those root causes and to improve the safety program.

Drivers are also stakeholders in your company’s safety efforts. Share safety successes with the entire team to build momentum and transform the culture.

dash cam footage

In closing, a best-in-class safety program driven by video-based coaching can protect your landscaping company against excessive verdicts and improve hiring and retention.

1 “Understanding the Impact of Nuclear Verdicts on the Trucking Industry”

Read more about J. J. Keller on Turf.
Sponsored Content
Featured Video

Webinars, Podcasts & Videos

workplace violence

Listen Now: Climate Change’s Impact On Violence

A behavioral risk expert discusses how climate change is impacting human behavior, creating an increased risk of workplace violence.

Understanding Regulations

ICYMI: Understanding Regulations & Running a Safe Fleet (WEBINAR)

The most recent Turf webinar with J.J. Keller VideoProtects explain what regulations apply to your operation — and how to comply with them.

Listen Now: Segway Navimow Glides Into Robotic Mower Market

PODCAST: Turf talks with Wayne Kreifels of Segway Navimow, to discuss their entrance into the robotic mower market.

Share to...