Dash cams have traditionally been associated with providing evidence after a collision, but Australian fleets are increasingly using video telematics as part of a broader approach to driver safety and risk management.
The Geotab Report 2026: Connected Fleets in Australia found 65% of respondents using in-cab video reported improved driver safety.
A further 61% reported a reduction in false claims, while 49% reported lower safety incident costs and 39% reported reduced insurance costs.
The report also found 77% of Australian businesses using in-cab video considered the technology “very” or “extremely” beneficial for managing their fleet.
Forty-five per cent of respondents with a video solution reported achieving a positive ROI within one year or less.
These results represent the proportion of surveyed organisations reporting each outcome rather than the percentage reduction achieved.
From recording incidents to managing risk
The shift is important because a camera that is only reviewed after a crash has limited preventative value.
Newer video telematics systems can combine footage with vehicle information and driver-behaviour events, giving Fleet Managers an opportunity to identify patterns before they result in a serious incident.
The report describes video telematics as having moved from passive recording to a “visual shield” for fleet operations.
For Fleet Managers, however, the value depends on how the information is used.
A speeding, distraction or following-distance alert can provide the basis for a conversation with a driver. Repeated events can identify where additional coaching or training may be required.
Used effectively, the system becomes part of a driver safety program rather than simply another source of footage.
False claims remain an important benefit
Reducing false claims was one of the strongest reported benefits.
This can be particularly significant for fleets where vehicles spend large amounts of time on the road and minor incidents are relatively common.
Video can provide additional evidence about what occurred before and during an incident, assisting internal investigations and insurance processes.
For drivers, that evidence can also be valuable where another road user incorrectly attributes responsibility for an incident.
The report found that the benefits varied between industries, with improved driver safety, reduced false claims and reduced safety incident costs all appearing prominently across freight, services, utilities, oil and gas, and government respondents.
Cameras are only part of the safety system
Video telematics should not be viewed as a substitute for fleet safety management.
Technology can identify events, but organisations still need clear policies around how footage is collected, reviewed and used.
Drivers also need to understand why cameras are installed, which behaviours are being monitored and what happens when an event is identified.
For Fleet Managers, this makes implementation as much a change-management exercise as a technology project.
The strongest results are likely to come when video data sits alongside driver induction, coaching, incident investigation, fatigue management and broader workplace safety processes.
The Geotab findings suggest Australian fleets are increasingly looking beyond the traditional dash cam.
The camera may still provide evidence after an accident, but its greater operational value could be in helping Fleet Managers identify and address risk before the next incident occurs.
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