Car Video Unit Gets Insurance Partner
NU Online News Service, August 2, 12:31 p.m.?DriveCam Video Systems, the maker of a video camera recording unit for vehicles, has announced a partnership with the National Interstate Insurance Company to market its product.
The company says use of its system with fleets can reduce the frequency and severity of collisions that drivers are involved in.
DriveCam's Driving Feedback System will be marketed to insured passenger transportation fleets, including motorcoaches, transit buses, school buses and limousines, said the San Diego-based company.
Under the agreement, called the NIIC/DriveCam Certification Program, Cleveland, Ohio-based NIIC will reimburse up to 50 percent of the cost of the DriveCam system for each insured fleet that implements the system.
DriveCam is a palm-sized, wide-angle, digital video recorder that is mounted behind a vehicle's rearview mirror. Set off by G-forces, it records everything a driver sees and hears in the 20 seconds before, during and after it is triggered. The company said it records activities such as hard braking, acceleration, harsh cornering or collisions.
The system incorporates the video technology with management software to improve operators' driving habits, the company explained.
The NIIC/DriveCam Certification Program is subject to state regulatory review and approval.
"We support the use of the DriveCam system because we believe it can reduce the frequency of accidents and encourage more equitable claims settlements," said Alan R. Spachman, president of NIIC. "DriveCam captures the indisputable facts?what actually occurred in an accident. Without this evidence, the benefit of the doubt usually goes against the commercial fleet driver."
According to DriveCam Video Systems, the Driving Feedback System records what drivers see and hear during unusual driving incidents. This allows fleet managers to counsel drivers, based on actual driving experiences. It also provides information critical to determining fault in an accident claim and speeds claim processing.
The company said that thousands of commercial vehicles, including utility fleets, passenger transportation and service/delivery vans, are currently using the system "and have experienced reductions in the frequency and severity of collisions of 30 percent to 50 percent."
According to Ed Andrew, president of DriveCam, "NIIC is the first carrier to share the cost of the system to encourage fleet customers."
The complete Driving Feedback System includes the DriveCam video event data recorder, HindSight 20/20 software for managing and evaluating driving events, a manager's guide, driver guide, and instructional videotape, the company said.
Additional information is available at www.drivecam.com.
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