This article will take you on a trail through the best truck driver dash cams…
Truck driver dash cams are small devices that can be mounted to your truck’s windshields. These cameras can record the road ahead, behind the vehicle, or within the cabin itself. Some of the fancier models record all three areas at once.
You can then analyze the footage, whether it’s a small collision, a swerve in the road, or harsh braking, and then take appropriate action. But how do you know which dash cam is right for your truck? Don’t fret – we’ve done all the research for you and selected the five best truck driver dash cams in 2021, reviewing their pricing and top features to help you pick.
Check out our table below to see which dash cams made the cut. Prices are one-off fees unless stated…
| Dash cam | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Verizon Connect Integrated Video | Best all-in-one solution | $20 per month |
| Samsara CM32 | Best for driver safety | $399 + $600 licence fee |
Garmin 55 | Best for preventing accidents | $199 |
| Rexing S300 | Best value for money | $99 |
WheelWitness HD Pro | Best for video quality | $125 |
1. Verizon Connect Integrated Video
Price: $20 per month
| Recording quality | Night vision | GPS | Wide-angle lens |
|---|---|---|---|
720P HD | Y | N | 150 degrees |
Best All-in-One Solution
This is your all-in-one dash cam solution. The Verizon Connect Integrated Video uses AI technology to identify, analyze, and classify recordings of any incident, whether it’s a collision or an instance of distracted driving.
It also sends close-to-real-time notifications to your fleet manager whenever harsh braking or hard cornering occurs. You’ll receive a notification and report almost immediately, explaining what has happened in detail so you can take the appropriate action, making it a fleet manager’s dream device.
It’s worth noting you’ll only benefit from the dash cam’s all-in-one solution if you’re using Verizon Connect Reveal or Verizon Now vehicle tracking platforms.
Pros:
- 150-degree wide-angle lens
- Sends notifications within a few minutes after incidents
- Records in HD
Cons:
- Requires a subscription to a vehicle tracking platform
User Review
“Easy to use. Quality of the video is great. This has helped many of my employees prove they were not at fault for things that have happened on the road.”
- Small Business Vice President
2. Samsara CM32
Price: $399 plus $600 annual licence fee
| Recording quality | Night vision | GPS | Wide-angle lens |
|---|---|---|---|
1018p | Y | N | N |
Best for Driver Safety
An essential companion for any safety-conscious truck driver, the CM32 comes with live scene analysis, a built-in speaker, and the ability to upload HD video to the Samsara cloud immediately after any incident, such as harsh braking or acceleration.
The CM2 was purposefully built to reduce high-risk driving behavior, which should significantly lower your business’s accident-related costs – not to mention keep your drivers safe. What’s more, this dash cam only takes 10 minutes to install.
Pros:
- Dual facing camera
- HD video recording
- Live scene analysis
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
- Lens could have a wider angle
User Review
“The forward-facing dash cams have allowed us to prove, beyond any doubt, on multiple occasions, that we were not at fault in various incidents or accidents. They have also saved us time and litigation by removing any debate as to fault or liability in various incidents.”
- Transportation Manager
3. Garmin 55
Price: $199
| Recording quality | Night vision | GPS | Wide-angle lens |
|---|---|---|---|
1440p | Y | Y | N |
Best for Preventing Accidents
Safety comes first with the Garmin 55. The system’s GPS alerts drivers to upcoming hazards in the road, meaning your drivers will experience fewer distractions. This should result in fewer accidents – which will ultimately keep your road costs down.
Compact, powerful, and with high quality video recording, the Garmin 55 is stylish yet discreet. Capturing videos in 1440p resolution, you can review crystal clear footage, which is automatically saved on SD cards up to 64GB.
Best of all, the Garmin 55 comes with voice control. This minimizes the risk of dangerous driving, since there’s no need for truck drivers to remove their hands from their steering wheels to carry out tasks such as saving certain clips of footage.
Pros:
- Compact size
- Superb video quality
- Voice control
Cons:
- Apps offer limited control
- Relatively small battery
User Review
“It’s small, well built, simple to use and takes brilliant images. The voice activation works most of the time so you can get it to lock the current video file for use later. After 12 months, it works as well as the day I bought it.”
- Mark, Garmin 55 customer
4. Rexing S300
Price: $99
| Recording quality | Night vision | GPS | Wide-angle lens |
|---|---|---|---|
1080p | Y | Y | 165 degrees |
Best Value for Money
The S300 has an ultra-wide viewing angle of 165 degrees, night vision functionality, a G-Sensor to detect any harsh changes in acceleration, and GPS to help your business locate the driver more easily.
In terms of installation, the Rexing S300 can be adhesively mounted to any windshield within minutes, while its small size reduces the risk of your drivers becoming distracted. This truck driver dash cam is also extremely heat resistant, making it ideal for trucks traversing areas in high temperatures. It’s also $100 less than the next cheapest dash cam on our list (the Garmin 55), making it true value for money.
Pros:
- Wide-angle lens
- Large 2.7″ screen
Cons:
- No wifi connectivity
- Rexing's customer service could be better
- Online reviews complain about it breaking quite easily
User Review
“Better than most. However, the battery in the unit doesn’t hold charge, so I must turn the dash cam on manually each time.”
- Jim, Rexing S300 customer
5. WheelWitness HD Pro
Price: $125
| Recording quality | Night vision | GPS | Wide-angle lens |
|---|---|---|---|
2304x1296p | Y | Y | 170 degrees |
Best for Video Quality
We highly doubt you can find a dash cam with a higher definition camera. The WheelWitness HD Pro records in an incredible 2304x1296p (compared to the common 1080p), meaning you won’t miss a thing when reviewing footage. What’s more, its Wide Dynamic Range technology lets you watch ultra-high quality night time videos.
With GPS enabled, you can follow your truck drivers’ location through Google Maps and help direct them to the nearest job sites. Plus, this camera uses loop recording – old footage is continually replaced by new recordings, so you don’t need to mess around with replacing memory cards.
Pros:
- Highest quality video available
- Wide-angle lens
- Easy to use
Cons:
- GPS is external plugin
- Recorded loops only two minutes long
User Review
“It’s actually a wide-angle! All the other cams I’ve had stated they were wide, but they were merely 120 to140-degree narrow angles. This camera actually has a 170-degree wide-angle and it’s awesome.
- Perry, WheelWitness HD Pro customer
Expert Verdict
We’ve shown you the five best truck driver dash cams. Let’s quickly recap why we selected these devices…
The Verizon Integrated Video is the best all-in-one truck driver dash cam, providing detailed insights into your fleet’s performance. If you want your drivers to stay focussed on the road ahead, the voice-controlled Garmin 55 is a clear winner.
If you’re all about high quality video recording, you can’t look further than the WheelWitness HD Pro. However, if minimizing risks is your one and only concern, the Samsara CM32 is a safe bet, while the Rexing S300 presents a much more affordable option than any of the other cameras.
Keen to get started on your dash cam journey? We can help you find and compare the right devices for you. Simply tell us about your fleet by using our free comparison tool, and we’ll match you with the country’s best dash cam providers, who’ll be in touch with quotes tailored directly to your needs. It’ll only take a minute, and it’s completely free!
FAQs
How Can Truck Driver Dash Cams Benefit My Business?
As a truck driver or the manager of a truck fleet, it’s important that you don’t lose money because of road accidents. Dash cams can help expedite insurance claims, because you can clearly show which driver was at fault. This could save your business not only money, but also time spent dealing with solicitors.
How Do Truck Driver Dash Cams Work?
It’s quite simple. Footage is recorded, then either saved to a memory card or immediately uploaded to the dash cam supplier’s cloud. You can then analyze the recording, whether it’s a small collision, a swerve in the road, or harsh braking, and take appropriate action.
What Are the Main Truck Driver Dash Cam Features?
Dash cams offer so much more than just insurance benefits. High-spec dash cams come with a range of useful features like GPS tracking, parking mode, G-Sensor mode, and night vision, all of which can help truck drivers and managers alike.
What is GPS Tracking?
With GPS tracking, you can locate drivers easily and help direct them to the nearest job sites, saving money on petrol, and maximizing profits thanks to improved efficiency.
What is Parking Mode?
Parking mode enables 24-hour recording, even when a truck’s engine is turned off. This feature protects your trucks even when no one is around, which can help settle insurance claims, and help prevent theft – meaning less money spent on replacing lost cargo.
What is a G-Sensor?
G-Sensor mode detects any sudden changes in speed, whether it’s harsh braking or acceleration, which is then automatically recorded.
What is Night Vision?
Meanwhile, night vision is quite self-explanatory – it helps with analyzing incidents that occurred at night, which is really useful for long-haul truck journeys.
