Eighty four percent of fleets cite driver exoneration as a key reason for deploying safety technology, according to the latest report from Teletrac Navman. The same report found that 53% of fleets that experienced incidents in the past 12 months were able to clear a driver using telematics and video evidence.

Nearly three-quarters (74%) of the 600 respondents now operate both telematics and dashcams, combining performance data, location information and video footage to create a strong defense in case collisions occur. More than 75% say that insurance management is now the top driver of safety technology adoption, followed closely by driver safety and wellbeing as main motivators.

All the respondents reported deploying at least one safety technology, with more than half (56%) using five or more safety tools. Among the most commonly deployed technologies are forward- and driver-facing dashcams, with nearly 60% saying they use both. Meanwhile, 44% rely on driver behavior monitoring, 39% use basic GPS tracking, and 31% use forward-facing dashcams only.

Telematics help offset costs

The report suggests that rising legal exposure is accelerating such a shift toward integrated safety systems. More than three-quarters (77%) of respondents said increasing litigation and legal costs are now a global concern for fleet operators, while 34% reported being impacted by fraudulent motor claims.

This despite a recent American Transportation Research Institute report that found plaintiff attorneys are increasingly using telematics-generated data against fleets in litigation.

“The role of telematics is evolving and taking on a more strategic purpose in fleet organizations, moving solely from a tool used for cost control and improvements, to an extremely powerful, proactive risk prevention and management solution,” said Alain Samaha, Teletrac Navman CEO, in a related news release.

“A high percentage of fleet safety incidents are caused by third parties and other external factors, and video telematics is now the most powerful tool to provide irrefutable, contextual evidence that protects people, preserves reputations, and stabilizes margins.”

And the safety technology adoption does pay dividends — 85% of fleets said it helped gain greater control of their insurance premiums, while 65% reported premium decreases after implementation. Of those, 6% were able to reduce the price by 20% or more. Other reported decreases in premiums from 10-20%.

Nearly 90% of drivers satisfied with telematics

But there are some implementation challenges, too, with privacy and monitoring concerns cited as the biggest barriers for adoption in well over half of the fleets. Other issues also remain, including budget constraints, driver resistance, and operational disruptions.

Despite those barriers, of those who did adapt the technology, 87% of fleets reported positive driver sentiment following implementation.

As more than three-quarters of respondents said they plan to invest in additional safety technologies within the next year, most of them lean towards vehicle inspection and maintenance software, driver training and coaching applications and fatigue management tools.