It’s not just small children who are afraid of the dark. Fleet managers aren’t particularly keen on it either.
Research suggests that about 50% of all road traffic accidents take place in the hours of darkness. When you consider that daytime road traffic dwarves nighttime, that’s a pretty sobering statistic. Then factor in that theft from vehicles peaks at around midnight (not a surprise) and you can see why the dark requires extra vigilance, not less.
That’s why you need vehicle camera systems that are up to the job. Just in case it isn’t obvious, all the reasons you attached cameras to your vehicles still apply. In brief you want to:
- Improve visibility for drivers and avoid accidents as a result
- Spot potential issues and ‘close calls’, review footage and intervene if necessary
- Have the footage you need to exonerate your drivers when an accident occurs, or a false claim is made against your business
- Detect signs of fatigue or distraction on the part of the driver, and intervene to prevent the accidents they can cause
The only challenge is that in the night, it is dark. And you need a camera system that can handle it. If you don’t, you are likely to go looking for footage when you need it and see… not a lot.
Let’s try and ensure that doesn’t happen.
Understanding the dark
The first thing it’s worth being aware of is that genuine pitch darkness is rare. And it is even rarer on the road. It’s not just street lighting, but also ambient lighting from the headlights and taillights of other vehicles, from buildings, and even the moonlight. All these things together mean that operation in true darkness is uncommon.
Why does that matter? Well, it can impact on how you select cameras for nighttime operation. To make that point clear, consider the following: regular CameraMatics high-definition, colour cameras still operate perfectly effectively in a brightness of 0.1 lumen. Regular moonlight is about 0.2 lumen.
In other words, the very same cameras you use every day (assuming you are a CameraMatics customer) are going to keep working in most situations a fleet will operate in. That’s good to know, but of course it won’t necessarily apply across the board. Our cameras are designed with adaptive exposure control precisely in order to provide this visibility when others might not.
Modern camera systems continue to record in full colour and high resolution even in low light
Of course, if you DO operate in genuine darkness, we can provide infra-red cameras that will show people and vehicles, both on captured footage and live on in-cab monitors, even in total darkness. The drawback is that images are lower in resolution, and black and white only, but ultimately the choice is yours – as it always is with our flexible and extensible camera system.
It IS worth noting that for close maneuvering when a monitor is being used, infra-red can sometimes be preferred. In this context, avoiding accidents is the name of the game, and just knowing that something is there is enough. Indeed, the contrast provided by infra-red might be short on detail but helpful in terms of making it obvious that caution is required.
In the cab
At night, driver monitoring for fatigue and distraction becomes absolutely critical for the safety of drivers and the road users around them. Yes, fatigue can be an issue at any time, but the hours of darkness require extra vigilance. It is estimated that up to 10% of accidents may be caused due to drowsiness or tiredness.
If you have a system for the detection of fatigue (or distraction, phone use or other causes of accidents), it is imperative to make sure it will operate effectively in darkness, or at least in the low glow of the cab at night.
Ideally, that tech should be coupled with a driver-facing camera that provides proper visibility into what actually happened. Particularly when reviewing fatigue and distraction events after the fact, you will need to be able to see as clearly as possible. All the same considerations come into play – but fortunately in most cases the ambient light within the cab is enough for a high-end camera to operate.
Keep your fleet safe, day and night
Camera technology has come a long way since the early days. Ten years ago you would be lucky to see anything recorded in any conditions other than broad daylight. Now, the quality of images even in what most people would call “darkness” would surprise anyone not aware of how much has changed.
And those cameras are not just for recording anymore—they’re an essential part of a complete safety system that protects drivers, vehicles, and businesses. They’re transforming night-time driving, helping reduce risks, improving driver behaviour, and even lowering insurance costs.
To protect your fleet y avoid any bumps in the night — chat to our team today.
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