Yuill & Dodds Ltd., based in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, operates a fleet of over 100 vehicles, offering regional and national haulage, logistics, and waste disposal services, including material removal and bulk deliveries.
Challenges
High Insurance Costs: Yuill & Dodds sought an effective solution to reduce insurance costs, especially in the face of fraudulent claims such as crashes for cash or exaggerated injury schemes.
Managing Third-Party Intervention: The company needed a way to better manage third-party interventions and quickly identify who was responsible for accidents involving their fleet vehicles.
Handling At-Fault Collisions: When collisions occurred, Yuill & Dodds wanted a solution that would allow them to respond quickly to limit recovery, repair, and replacement costs.
Limitations of SD Card Solutions: Initially, the company tested an SD card solution, which proved to be inefficient and risked losing or tampering with important data due to issues such as overwritten footage or SD card failure.
Distance and Logistics: Many of the commercial vehicles were away from their home base for extended periods, complicating the retrieval of footage and incident reporting.
The Solutions
Implemented Forward-Facing Cameras: In early 2016, Yuill & Dodds installed network-connected forward-facing cameras across their entire fleet of trucks and vans, which service the UK.
Shifted from SD Card to Network-Connected Solution: The company moved away from SD card solutions and adopted a more efficient, network-connected system that provided live alerts for collisions, near misses, and harsh driving events.
Real-Time Incident Alerts: Yuill & Dodds now receive live email and SMS notifications whenever an incident occurs, allowing them to assess the situation quickly and ensure the driver’s safety.
Access to HD Footage and Vehicle Data: The system provides high-definition footage, along with supporting data such as g-force and speed of impact, which can be accessed via a web-based portal within minutes.
Reduced Risk of Data Loss or Tampering: By switching to a network-connected solution, the company eliminated the risk of losing or tampering with footage and ensured the integrity of the data.
The Results
Reduced Insurance Costs: The added visibility and ability to defend against fraudulent claims led to reduced insurance costs, as the company could prove liability and contest exaggerated or fraudulent claims.
Successful Fraudulent Claim Defenses: Yuill & Dodds successfully challenged fraudulent claims by using footage to demonstrate faulty behaviour, such as a car slamming on brakes unnecessarily or disproving false injury claims.
Faster Third-Party Intervention: The ability to quickly send detailed evidence to insurance partners has accelerated third-party interventions and minimised costs associated with third-party claims.
Proven Liability: The footage enabled the company to prove liability in 50/50 claims, ensuring fairer settlements and reducing unnecessary costs.
