Study finds drivers’ accident recall is severely lacking, highlighting dashcam benefits

By August 14, 2024Blog Posts
Aug. 14, 2024
The inability to recall key information during a collision should alarm truck fleet owners and managers. One way to ensure accurate recall is with dash cameras.

U.S. drivers can’t recall 68% of key information following a crash, according to dash camera company Nextbase. A recent study by the provider found that “no drivers could remember all vital information after witnessing a road incident,” and 44% of drivers “failed to identify the car at fault for a traffic incident.”

This lack of total recall from motorists across the U.S. could have big ramifications for the trucking industry.

Key findings from the Nextbase study:

  • Only 1% of drivers could accurately recall all necessary details after a collision.
  • Nearly half (44%) of the 66 drivers surveyed failed to identify the car responsible for the accident.
  • One-third (33%) of the drivers displayed distracted driving behaviors.
  • On average, men were able to recall 34% of crucial accident information, whereas women recalled 30%.
  • Two participants (3%) recalled the full license plate of a car shown during the test.

Accidents that aren’t caused by truck drivers often fall into two categories: “unfairly accused drivers and fraudulent claims involving insurance scams,” Carolyn Mason wrote in a post for Mack Trucks’ Bulldog magazine. Installing dash cameras inside trucks can help lower the risk of both.

“The ability to validate the facts surrounding an incident quickly and accurately helps keep our drivers behind the wheel,” Craig Bennett, safety director for Waste Management, said in the post.