The Samsara Guide to Fleet Safety

Capture ROI from
Your Safety Program

How do you quantify the ROI of a safer fleet?

Investing in a video-based fleet safety program isn’t just a great way to protect your drivers and community—it’s also a great way to save money. From reducing accidents costs to avoiding false claims, keep reading to learn how to measure the value of your safety program.

Results from Samsara customers

90%

OF CUSTOMERS SAID SAMSARA HAS HELPED IMPROVE SAFETY

50%

OF DASH CAM CUSTOMERS HAVE EXONERATED INNOCENT DRIVERS

$5-25k

AVERAGE ANNUAL SAVINGS FROM DRIVER EXONERATION

Dohrn - Drone Shot 1 Copy
In This Chapter
  • 01.Reduce accidents:Decrease the frequency and severity of at-fault accidents
  • 02.Avoid false claims:Exonerate innocent drivers and minimize false claim payouts
  • 03.Decrease insurance-related costs:Reduce claims and premiums
  • 04.Reduce maintenance costs:Minimize vehicle wear and tear
  • 05.Retain more drivers:Improve driver morale and retention
  • 06.Protect your brand:Exonerate branded vehicles and win more business
Decrease frequency of at-fault accidentsA
Customer Story

Simco Logistics

>50%

REDUCTION IN ACCIDENTS

60%

REDUCTION IN RELATED COSTS

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Part 1—Accidents

Decrease the frequency and severity of at-fault accidents

The first—and perhaps most important—way that a successful video-based safety program delivers ROI is by decreasing accidents, both in frequency and severity.

How does a successful safety program reduce accidents?

A comprehensive, video-based fleet safety solution includes two key parts: telematics and dash cams. Together, they provide the robust data and visibility needed for effective driver coaching, safety score gamification, and rewards—all of which help reduce risky driving behavior and make accidents less likely. In fact, the NSTSCE found that when combined with driver coaching, dash cams reduced safety-related events by 52%. Another study from the JSR found that dual-facing dash cams—which record both the road ahead and in-cab activity— had an even larger effect: a 60% reduction in accidents and an 86% reduction in accident-related costs.

When and how to measure ROI

About 3-6 months after coaching drivers with dash cam footage, most fleets will begin to see an impact on the frequency and severity of at-fault accidents. We recommend using a spreadsheet to keep track of accidents that occur before and after launching your program, so you can calculate the percent change in number of accidents and related costs. If you have an all-in-one platform like Samsara that can detect harsh events and speeding, you should also compare the number of safety-related events and hours over the speed limit month-over-month, since these are both important indicators of risky driving behavior.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Decrease in accidents

Decrease in accidents

Decrease in accident-related costs

Decrease in accident-related costs

Decrease in safety-related events

Decrease in safety-related events

Decrease in hours over the speed limit

Decrease in hours over the speed limit

See how Simco Logistics reduced accidents by 50%

Simco Logistics, one of the largest ice cream distributors in the Mid-Atlantic, recouped their investment in Samsara in less than one year.

Read Case Study

Part 2—Exoneration

Exonerate innocent drivers and minimize false claim payouts

In addition to reducing the frequency and severity of accidents, a video-based safety program can also deliver ROI by helping you exonerate innocent drivers and avoid unnecessary payouts.

How does a successful safety program reduce false claim payouts?

Without concrete evidence to defend drivers, fleets spend millions of dollars each year paying insurance claims and fighting long legal battles. With dash cams that auto-upload incident footage to the cloud, you can exonerate drivers on the spot, bypass lengthy claims processes, and eliminate unnecessary payouts. In fact, in a recent survey of Samsara customers, more than 50% said they have used Samsara dash cam footage to exonerate drivers in the past year, saving $5,000 to $25,000 on average, with some saving over $100,000 a year.

When and how to measure ROI

Exoneration is the area where fleets usually see the most immediate impact, since many fleets exonerate a driver with dash cam footage within a few months of deployment—if not during their trial period. As soon as your dash cams are fully deployed, we recommend keeping a spreadsheet of every documented instance where dash cam footage exonerated a driver. Estimate how much it would have cost to resolve the incident without the footage, and keep a running tab of estimated savings.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Dollars saved by exonerating drivers with dash cam footage

Dollars saved by exonerating drivers with dash cam footage

Decrease in false claim payouts

Decrease in false claim payouts

Exonerate drivers
Sprint Waste Services

Sprint Waste Services

$500k

IN REDUCED INSURANCE PREMIUMS AT RENEWAL

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See how Samsara AI Dash Cams can help you avoid false claims

Samsara AI Dash Cams auto-upload event footage to the cloud, making it possible to exonerate innocent drivers on the spot.

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Customer Story
Simco Logistics

15%

DECREASE IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS

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Part 3—Insurance

Reduce insurance-related costs

Fleets that deploy a successful video-based safety program often see a significant decrease in insurance-related costs over time—in terms of both auto claims and premiums.

How can a successful safety program reduce insurance-related costs?

Dash cams are a key component of any successful safety program. But the data they provide isn’t just helpful for coaching drivers and reducing accidents—it’s helpful for reducing insurance-related costs, too. Firstly, in the case of an accident, dash cam footage enables insurance companies to accurately and quickly determine fault, which makes settling disputes faster and less expensive. Secondly, some insurance providers will offer a premium discount, credit, or subsidy for installing dash cams and sharing safe driving data, since dash cams can mitigate the risk of insuring your fleet. In fact, in a recent survey, 15% of Samsara dash cam customers said they were able to reduce their insurance premiums after installing dash cams, despite the fact that premiums are on the rise industry-wide.

When and how to measure ROI

Before even launching your new safety program, make sure to ask your insurance provider if they offer a discount, subsidy, or credit for installing dash cams. If not, consider sharing the data from your program to show proof of safety improvements during your next renewal. Even if your provider doesn’t offer any sort of discount, make sure to track your total auto claims. Depending on the size of your fleet, you may see an impact on auto claims within a few months to a year.

Key Performance Indicators
Decrease in insurance premiums

Decrease in insurance premiums

Decrease in auto claims

Decrease in auto claims

I showed our insurance company what we do with Samsara, and this was the first year that we got a reduction in our premium."

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ALAN DRAZEN  VP of Simco Logistics

Part 4—Maintenance

Minimize vehicle wear and tear

In addition to reducing accidents, a video-based safety program can also help decrease vehicle downtime and maintenance due to safer, less abrasive driving.

How does a successful safety program reduce maintenance costs?

Harsh braking wears out brake pads and causes unnecessary stress on vehicles. Combined with acceleration data from a connected telematics device, the best dash cams can play in- cab audio messages when harsh events are detected. This helps to discourage harsh driving, as well as reduce physical damage and maintenance costs. Plus, data-driven driver coaching reduces accidents, meaning fewer repairs and less downtime across your fleet.

When and how to measure ROI

You can measure the impact of your safety program on maintenance costs in a variety of ways, depending on how your fleet functions—from decreases in brake pad replacements to dollars saved per vehicle repair (or dollars saved due to fewer accidents). For most fleets, having at least 3-6 months of data will be useful to get an early picture of maintenance-related impact.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Dollars saved per vehicle repair

Dollars saved per vehicle repair

Decrease in brake pad replacements

Decrease in brake pad replacements

Decrease in repair costs due to fewer accidents

Decrease in repair costs due to fewer accidents

Reduce vehicle wear and tear
Empress Ambulance Services

$15k

SAVED PER VEHICLE REPAIR DUE TO DECREASED OUT-OF-SERVICE TIME

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FREE DOWNLOAD

Learn more about the benefits of Samsara AI Dash Cams

See how our customers are improving driver safety and saving money with our video-based fleet safety solution.

Download
Customer Story

Dorhn Transfer Company

10%

DECREASE IN DRIVER TURNOVER

$8,000

SAVED IN RECRUITMENT AND REPLACEMENT COSTS PER DRIVER

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Part 5—Retention

Improve driver morale and retention

Despite initial apprehension about dash cams, many drivers become more engaged with their jobs due to the rewards and protection that a comprehensive safety program provides.

How does a successful safety program improve retention?

It may be surprising, but dash cams can actually help improve driver retention and decrease driver turnover. How? Although drivers are usually skeptical about dash cams at first, they become more engaged with their jobs once they see the benefits dash cams provide. Not only can dash cams exonerate innocent drivers from blame—which quickly instills trust and goodwill—but they can also enable a robust rewards program based on driver safety scores among other factors. Multiple studies have found that rewards are an extremely effective retention tool; 79% of employees say they work harder when they feel recognized, and 83% of employees say that rewards make them feel more engaged with their job.

When and how to measure ROI

With the competitive labor market, keeping tabs on driver retention is more important than ever. Wait until 3-6 months after you’ve introduced a safety-based rewards program to measure changes in driver turnover. If possible, also keep track of dollars saved in recruitment and replacement costs per driver, a huge cost driver.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Decrease in driver turnover

Decrease in driver turnover

Dollars saved in recruitment and replacement costs

Dollars saved in recruitment and replacement costs

See how Dohrn decreased driver turnover with Samsara

Dohrn Transfer Company, one of the largest LTL carriers in the Midwest, saw a 10% reduction in driver turnover after one year with Samsara.

Read Case Study

Part 6—Brand

Protect your company’s brand and win more business

A video-based safety program can have widespread effects across your entire business—from helping you protect your brand name to increasing customer loyalty and winning new contracts.

How does a successful safety program protect your brand?

If your fleet has a recognizable logo, you have probably been subject to false claims—people falsely accusing your drivers of damage because they expect an easy payout. Without dash cams, these claims can be difficult to defend against. But with dash cams, you have unbiased evidence that can exonerate your drivers and clear your brand name from fault. In addition, as your video-based safety program helps reduce accidents over time, you should see a decrease in your CSA scores—which can help your company win more business by standing out from the competition.

When and how to measure ROI

The easiest way to measure the impact of your safety program on your brand is to simply calculate the improvement in your CSA scores since fully launching your program. Because the FMCSA updates CSA scores monthly, you should be able see improvement within a few months —especially if you’ve established consistent, effective driver coaching workflows.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Decrease in CSA scores

Decrease in CSA scores

Increase in customer loyalty or new business

Increase in customer loyalty or new business

windy-city-protection
Windy City Limousine

$15k

SAVED PER VEHICLE REPAIR DUE TO DECREASED OUT-OF-SERVICE TIME

FREE DOWNLOAD

See how Samsara dash cams pay for themselves

Dash cams are proven to increase safety and deliver significant ROI. Here are four reasons why the investment is worth it.

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"Since adopting Samsara, our CSA scores have improved across the board. It’s allowed us to go from good to great."

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JAMIE SMITH  Fleet & Safety Manager, Windy City Limousine

Make fleet safety a priority with Samsara

Samsara offers a complete video-based solution for improving fleet safety and reducing costs.

Person in safety vest using Samsara AI dash cam
Person holding tablet with Samsara dashboard on the screen.
Person smiling with orange safety vest near trailer rig
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AI Dash Cams

Protect your brand and exonerate your drivers with intelligent front-facing and dual-facing dash cams that can analyze the road in real time and auto-upload event footage to the cloud.

Real-time Telematics

Get live-to-the-second visibility into the location and driving status of every vehicle with an FMCSA-registered ELD that can detect safety events, like harsh braking and acceleration.

Driver Coaching Platform

Standardize incident review and driver coaching—even across large fleets—with accountability and workflow tools, including customizable in-cab alerts and recommended coaching scripts.

9 out of 10 customers say Samsara helped improve safety
within their fleet

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