Video surveillance plays a key role in increasing safety in education. In line with this, school buses armed with video cameras can capture activities outside and inside each vehicle, providing an extra layer of security for staff and students. Here we look at the Motor GuardianCam technology and what it can mean for your drivers, school, and district.
Why have eyes on the buses?
The benefits of school bus cameras range from monitoring students’ actions to providing evidence in court cases. Specifically, the presence of cameras on a bus can:
- Minimize student bullying or bad behavior. The driver is able to keep his or her eyes on the road, while watching passengers. If a problem does occur, administrators can play back incidents with both video and audio or watch and listen in real time as situations develop.
- Increase peace of mind for parents and administrators. Cameras can record when students board and exit the bus. If a parent reports a child missing, footage can be reviewed to zero in on the child’s location.
- Track and record activity outside the bus. Cameras provide a recorded view of the driver’s perspective, so they can capture driving conditions, behavior of other drivers, and traffic violations, including illegal passing of the bus while the stop arm is deployed. This footage can later be submitted as evidence to determine fault or damages.
Choosing GuardianCam
The Motor GuardianCam is a commercial grade dash cam available through Chicago Communications. As a leading surveillance tool, it can be an asset for risk management, loss prevention, and driver safety coaching. GuardianCam can be integral for public safety fleets, as part of an overall approach to public safety communications, including 911 scalable solutions, video surveillance, two‑way radios. And, used in trucking, taxis, ready‑mix vehicles, and—this case—school buses, it can be an effective tool for capturing any liabilities inside and around the vehicle.
Outside the vehicle, GuardianCam records all driving activity and provides markers so administrators can identify specific events and behaviors such as aggressive driving, speeding, vehicle warnings, panic buttons and collisions. It also collects footage of events that happen in front of the camera, including traffic stops and incident responses.
Also, while many dash cams only offer single‑view angles, GuardianCam offers dual view, which records the inside and outside of the vehicle using two camera lenses. This increases visibility and accountability.
Further, with built‑in GPS, location, date, time, and speed and other important information are all stored on an SD card. Administrators can easily view data and video using accompanying software. And, they can put together a complete picture of recorded driving activity, combining drivers’ behavior and locations.
GuardianCam is designed to capture driving behavior and identify problems before they escalate. The continuous recording lets administrators monitor drivers and take corrective action if needed. At the same time, event‑triggered recording automatically finds and flags aggressive driving and collision events, so it is easy for administrators to drill down to key footage.
From the driver’s standpoint, GuardianCam provides simultaneous real-time visuals on what’s going out outside and inside. Plus, an automated drive recording system captures a record of speed, direction, and locations that can be viewed onsite and remotely.
Also, with the software, all information is displayed in a simple easy‑to‑understand format. Administrators can get an at‑a‑glance view of drivers’ performance and locations for improved synergies and routes. All information is protected and secured from unauthorized viewing. Data is encrypted and users can password‑protect access. GuardianCam also features redundant data backup so footage can be recorded in two places at once, which provides for an additional recovery option.
With these many benefits, GuardianCam can be an asset for any industry for which transportation is required. From school buses to commercial vehicles, having the added visibility and security of GuardianCam can be essential to protecting everything from schools and students, to truck drivers and cargo.
To learn more about tools that can enhance your communications, contact us.
