How AI-powered video telematics improves fleet safety and reduces costs

With the implementation of dashboard cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) in telematics, driver safety has improved immensely while reducing accident costs and insurance fraud.

Fleet-dependent organizations across a variety of industries must protect both drivers and the business against unnecessary costs and potential safety issues. Integrated video telematics technology can help. 

According to the Verizon Connect 2025 Fleet Technology Trends Report, a majority (72%) of fleets currently using a GPS fleet tracking solution considered it extremely or very beneficial. Dashcam users in particular indicate the technology is paying off: 68% said their video solution is extremely or very beneficial, and 47% saw a return on their investment in less than a year.1 

Some of the greatest benefits fleets can realize from integrated video telematics adoption include a reduction in accidents and in false claims, which in turn can lead to increased driver safety and reduced insurance costs.

Integrated video can also have a big impact on fleet safety. According to the report, driver safety has seen a 5% increase over the last three years: 70% of respondents reported that video helped them improve driver safety in 2023, 73% in 2024, and 75% this year.1

Let’s explore these benefits in greater detail.

What is video telematics?

Video telematics is a specialized application of telematics technology that combines video recording with traditional telematics data collection. Cameras and sensors are used to capture video footage from inside and outside a vehicle, along with other data such as GPS location, speed, acceleration, and more. This data provides a comprehensive view of a vehicle’s operation and the driver’s behavior.

How AI video telematics boosts driver safety

Modern video telematics uses AI technology to give fleet managers more visibility into what happens inside and outside the vehicle. It also enables fleet managers to analyze the data gleaned from the video footage and receive notifications that prioritize viewing of incidents categorized as unsafe. AI video alerts drivers in real time to help reduce accidents and transform fleet safety.

Visual information provides a factual account of unsafe driving behaviors (tailgating, stop sign violations, near-misses, distracted driving, speeding, etc.) to give both managers and drivers a better sense of what needs improvement. This allows managers to:

• Tailor coachable moments based on each driver’s needs
• Reinforce safe-driving policies as part of accident-reduction efforts
• Reward drivers (as part of an incentive program) for demonstrating safe driving habits

As more fleets create and prioritize safety programs, we should continue to see improvement in overall fleet safety across several industries. According to the 2025 Fleet Technology Trends Report, fleets achieved the following goals using dashcam video:1 

• Improved driver safety 
• Improved protection from false claims 
• Reduced insurance costs
• Reduced accident costs

Safety culture starts at the top. When leaders consistently coach their drivers on safe practices, it becomes the norm. This united approach fosters a strong safety culture and significantly reduces the likelihood of harsh driving.

How AI video telematics helps to avoid unnecessary costs

False claims and accidents can have a negative impact on an organization’s bottom line. More than three-quarters of fleets have consistently reported increasing costs as their top challenge over the last three years. But technology can help:1

• 57% of respondents said GPS fleet tracking is extremely or very beneficial for an improved focus on driver safety.
• On average, fleet respondents using GPS fleet tracking reduced accident costs by 22%.
• 75% of respondents used video to achieve their goal to improve driver safety.
• 47% of fleets report video is extremely or very beneficial for reducing the number of accidents.

Video telematics can help fleets reduce the likelihood of crashes in the first place, reducing accident-related costs as a result. And, if a crash does happen, a recording of the incident can be used as evidence to reduce false claims and help keep insurance premiums from skyrocketing. Video footage helps to show the full, unbiased context of driving events, such as driver behavior, weather conditions, vehicle positions and how an incident unfolded. 

What industry experts are saying about Verizon Connect video telematics

Lincoln Hill Retirement Community is a center for affordable living, meals, room rentals and organized activities for seniors. For their community, a smooth operation means keeping track of its small fleet of cars, passenger vans and transit vans and making sure pickups and drop-offs are on time. 

The program’s vehicles have been targeted for fraudulent claims of liability in accidents and other incidents in the past, and the team needed a way to gather the facts about what happened to either debunk or take responsibility for the claim.

With Verizon Connect Reveal and Integrated Video, the company has been able to not only monitor the location of their vehicles in the field, but also collect data pertinent to how the vehicles are being operated. They can also get helpful video clips of harsh driving events, which can protect against false claims.

“The most important reason we got the tracking system and cameras is to know where the vehicles are with the customers, and also protect the drivers in case people are making false claims against them. So far, we’re getting a lot of use out of it.” – Danielle Corbett, Transportation Lead for Lincoln Hill Retirement Community 

Want to learn more about how your fleet can benefit from video telematics? Download our free eBook to see four ways it can help protect your drivers and fleet.

Daco Paving, based in Houston, builds new neighborhoods on raw land in remote rural environments and isolated locations. The company needed a more reliable way to track the location and usage of its heavy equipment as well as the driving behaviors of its workers using company-owned vehicles. 

Verizon Connect Reveal, especially the dashboard cameras, has enhanced Daco Paving's operations in both measurable and intangible ways. As a family-oriented company grounded in values like honesty and integrity, the data provided by the solution gives Daco confidence that they are retaining employees who uphold these core principles.

"Our company is so much better now because of these cameras," Penny Coleman, the company's Controller said, adding that Verizon Connect Reveal "has helped us weed out so many bad things. It has completely changed how our crew behaves."

"The guys are actually better drivers for it. We had one driver who said, 'I'd get in my own vehicle at the end of the day, and I'm paying attention to this or I'm slowing down that—and my wife even noticed.' These cameras carry over into their personal lives and they're making them better drivers,” she added.

What to look for in video telematics software

For fleets considering an investment in video telematics, be sure to look for the following features:

• Dual footage view: Dual view of driver-facing and road-facing video via desktop or mobile app.
• Streamlined video download: Ability to download and share footage as an MP4 file, along with valuable metadata such as the vehicle name, address, date and time, which can provide helpful context.
• Near real-time notice: Notifications to view a video within minutes of when an incident occurs.
• Multi-perspective visibility: Capture footage and maneuver blindspots from rear-facing dashcam, side cameras and cargo camera to provide the full story of a situation.

For more information on how video telematics can help your fleet, download our free eBook How smart video fuels smart business or schedule an online demo today.