Chauffeur company Tristar has fitted its entire fleet with black box-style Smart Witness accident-recording cameras in an effort to tackle insurance fraud claims.
The firm has decked out it 460-strong fleet with the technology and believes it has improved driver behaviour, cut accident rates and resolved disputes.
Fleet manager Janusz Kozlowski said the firm had experienced problems with whiplash claims in the past, but the technology had helped to clear up liability questions and reduce costs.
“Following an accident, we received multiple whiplash claims, but our chauffeur only remembered seeing one person in the other vehicle; however, there was no proof of this.
“The cameras have definitely improved the behaviour of the chauffeurs because our at-fault accident rate has reduced by almost half to about four or five accidents per month compared with the same five-month period last year.
“I would estimate we will save about £60,000 a year based on fewer accidents and because we will be less likely to be targeted by ‘cash for crash’ fraud. We also expect our insurance premiums to reduce next year.”