How One Fleet Uses ADAS Cameras to Save Millions of Dollars in Claims
If your fleet has a history of collision claims, it can put your entire business in jeopardy. Insurance premiums rise with every claim, and soon you’ll have fewer insurance agencies willing to bid on you. In a down economy, that’s a dangerous position for any organization to be in. Elliott Electric Supply knows what that feels like. When they found Brandmotion, their fleet’s insurance claims were spiraling out of control and they were about to be uninsurable. They needed an advanced driver-assisted safety (ADAS) system for their fleet that could reduce claims and lead to more affordable insurance rates.
- Customer’s business: Electrical supplies distribution
- Opportunity: Elliott Electrical was looking for an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) that would help reduce collisions and insurance claims
- Solution: Brandmotion ADAS-1000, ADAS-1100, FullVUE
- Results: Fewer claims, recovered costs, safer drivers, reduced insurance premiums
About Elliott Electric Supply
Elliott Electric Supply is a regional leader in the electrical supplies distribution industry, with over 165 stores throughout Texas and the southern states. It’s a large and growing company that just celebrated its first $1B sales year.
The Challenge
When Missy Thomas was hired as Human Resources and Safety Manager in 2014, she had no idea what awaited her. Their current auto insurance carrier elected not to renew their policy because of numerous auto collisions. Only one insurance company was willing to bid on the company at the upcoming renewal. “I started asking what we could do to change this,” Missy recalled. “Because we’re so spread out, it was hard for us to monitor 400+ drivers.”
The Solution
Missy started looking at ADAS fleet cameras, but every product she found was anywhere from $1200 to $2400 per installation. With 400 trucks, those dollars add up fast. But during her research, she came across Brandmotion. While Brandmotion’s cameras competed at the same level as other cameras, they only cost a fraction of the price. She reached out and ended up speaking personally with Brandmotion’s owner, Jeff Varick. She was impressed by his accessibility. “How many times do you get to talk to a company’s owner directly?” she said. “I asked the President (Lucas Frank) if he could come to Dallas to demo the product for me. He said, ‘Yeah, sure.’” That personalized attention was a big part of her decision to purchase Brandmotion safety systems.
The Results
Elliott Electric started with the ADAS-1000 and have since upgraded to the ADAS-1100. The results have been nothing short of impressive, and the company’s financial turnaround is almost unbelievable. Here are the benefits Elliott Electric is enjoying.
Fewer claims
Fleet vehicles tend to be a magnet for quick-buck schemes. “When you’re a big company and they see these trucks running all over the state, some drivers think they have an automatic lawsuit they can take advantage of,” Missy said. “I had someone call one day. He said, ‘This Elliott truck hit me when I was pulling out of a parking lot.’” So they looked at the video footage to see what really happened. “We got on the camera, and the car crossed four lanes of traffic and came right at the bed of our truck! It was hilarious to watch.” Since using Brandmotion safety cameras, Elliott Electric has reduced their annual claims from several millions of dollars to just a couple hundred thousand per year. Workers comp is now higher than their auto claims.
Millions of dollars saved in legal fees
As their insurance claims have decreased, so have their lawsuit costs. Even when their drivers have a role in a collision, Brandmotion ADAS cameras have helped drastically cut lawsuit payouts. In one case, they were delivering materials in the middle of the night, and a car suddenly collided into another vehicle right in front of the driver. There was no way to avoid the collision and the Elliott driver hit one of the cars. The driver at fault was killed in the collision, and Elliott Electric was being sued for $2.5 million. But the video showed what the other driver did, and proved that Elliott’s driver had no recourse. Brandmotion’s ADAS camera saved the company $2.1 million on that lawsuit.
Fewer collisions
Not only have Brandmotion safety cameras decreased Elliott’s costs per collision, but their collision rates have plummeted as well. In-vehicle cameras monitor driver activity and keep them accountable for safe driving practices. “We have a zero-tolerance distracted driving policy,” Missy said. If a driver’s behavior is responsible for a collision, the video will show it. That kind of accountability has improved safe driving practices.
Reduced insurance costs by 50%
Safer drivers, fewer claims, and lower payouts have made Elliott Electric increasingly attractive to insurance agencies. This company that could only get one insurance bid now has several insurance companies bidding on them every year. Their insurance premiums were eventually reduced to half of their 2013 rates! “That more than pays for the cameras in itself,” Missy said.
The Next Thing
Elliott is continuously looking for new ways to improve their safety and reduce costs. “Before Brandmotion, everything was happening — all types of wrecks,” Missy said. “But in the last few years, it’s been the backup accidents.” Brandmotion’s FullVUE™ Mirror is a versatile new safety device that helps prevent backup collisions. FullVUE replaces your current rearview mirror with a live streaming full HD video screen. It displays a clear, crisp unobstructed view of everything behind your vehicle. Drivers see exactly what they need to see with no obstructions of passengers, cargo or small rear windows. “FullVUE is going to be awesome,” Missy said. Discover how the FullVUE Mirror helps keep your fleet costs down.
Make Your Fleet Safer Today
At Brandmotion, our mission is to see your fleet equipped with crash-avoiding life-saving technology. We’re continuously introducing innovative products and services that prevent collisions and reduce costly claims. There are 270 million vehicles on the road today — we won’t rest until every one of them is safer. Discover how we can help make your fleet vehicles safer and less costly.
