As a trucker, you spend more time out on the road than just about anyone.
So, I don’t need to tell you that some people simply aren’t good drivers!
In order to protect yourself, it’s a good idea to use a trucker dash cam to record the road in front of you.
This can help protect you in the case of an accident, citizen complaint, traffic ticket, or insurance fraud scam.
To help you find the best dash cam for truckers, we’ve put together a list of some of our top picks.
Table Of Contents
What is the Best Dash Cam for Truckers?
There are a ton of different dash cameras for trucks on the market.
To help you sift through the options, we’ve narrowed it down to our top picks.
Enjoy!
All Options
1. Campark Dashboard Camera (Best Battery Life)
This dashboard camera comes with its very own mobile app that allows you to view live footage from the dash cam from remote locations using Wi-Fi.
However, the camera currently cannot be controlled from the mobile app itself and it is also known to be laggy when streaming high quality 1080p footage.
It is important to note that this camera has a battery with a very short life time which the creators of this dash cam says is for health and safety reasons to prevent fires from occurring.
So if you are planning to use this dash cam then you need to keep in mind that you will need to keep constantly charging it, keeping it plugged in all the time is not an option as that will end up destroying the battery itself.
Also this dash camera has built-in GPS and time tracker allowing you to have important information always when playing back the footage which can be very useful for your insurance company.
Features:
- Built to be very easy to use, the camera also comes with instructions on how to format your SD cards before you insert them into the camera.
- Day and night vision are also available so you can film good quality footage in all times of the day.
- Loop recording mode so your camera can constantly be filming but you need to be aware that this camera will start overwriting footage if it runs out of storage space.
- A G-Sensor and 24 Hour Parking Monitor so your camera can capture footage even when your truck is stationery.
- Apart from English, you also have the option of setting the language to Spanish, French, German and Italian.
Summary
The Campark Dashboard Camera has one of the longest battery life from all the cameras on this list thanks to this dash cam not using batteries but instead being plugged into your car charger where it is automatically charged whenever your car’s engine is turned on (a dash cam with capacitor).
2. Toguard Full HD Car Camera
A small but sturdy camera that is built to be easy to install in your car with the camera created to automatically charge and start once your car’s engine is turned on.
It is also very small so you will not be obstructed by a massive camera at the front of your car.
Unfortunately the LCD screen of this camera can only be used for viewing the footage and not controlling the cameras.
Instead you have to use the buttons at the bottom of the camera to optimize the various modes and functions.
This camera is not very technologically advanced however as mentioned above it is very sturdy so you should not be too worried about it breaking.
What is also great about this camera is that it comes with a free SD cards unlike the majority of dashboard cameras on this list.
Furthermore a suction mount, a car charger, a USB charger and a manual.
Features:
- 2.45 inches screen that allows you to have a good view of all the footage and user interface.
- Able to optimize the WDR, or in other words the brightness of the footage allowing you to record good footage during the night and day.
- A Parking Monitor that ensures that the dashboard camera is recording even while your vehicle is stationery and you are out of the car.
- A very simple and easy to use user interface so you will have no problems when using this camera no matter how much experience you have.
- Motion detection that turns on the camera and auto focuses when any sort of movement is sensed in front of the camera.
Summary
The Toguard Full HD Car Camera allows you to film in 1080p with the option of 720p resolution if you are looking to save space on your SD cards. It also comes with a loop recording mode that automatically overwrites previous files once the storage becomes full allowing you to not have to change the SD cards every couple of hours on the road.
3. Chortau Dual Dash Cam
A high quality camera that is priced at a very competitive price, it comes with number plate reading technology.
The Chortau Dual Dash Cam is as its name states perfect as both a rear and front dash camera with the dashboard camera being great for parking assistance thanks to its 170 degree view.
Compatible with regular SD cards as well as Micro SD cards, you can also edit the quality of the footage from HD to regular if you are trying to be more memory storage efficient.
Other settings you can play around with in order to save space include the nighttime and parking modes.
Around the lens of this dashboard camera there are lights that allow your camera to capture things in the dark much more easily and effectively.
Overall this camera is great value for money with a lot of high quality features at a very affordable price.
Features:
- Dual recording mode that allows your camera to record both the front and rear at the same time while storing both films separately.
- This camera is also waterproof which is a useful feature as it makes the camera that bit more durable.
- Comes with a 3 year warranty and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
- Loop recording mode allowing your camera to record 24/7,
- Audio recording is also available, although it does take up a lot more storage space it can make your footage more useful as evidence.
Summary
The Chortau Dual Dash Cam is a great for truckers that would like to film the front and rear views simultaneously with the rear view being an often overlooked area with experienced drivers more likely to be hit themselves.
Additionally, as stated above this camera comes with a whopping 3 years worth of warranty so you should have no worries about receiving a sub par product.
4. VaVa Dual Front And Rear Dash Camera (Best for Night Time)
At the higher price range, this camera comes with some of the most technologically advanced features from all the products on this list.
A crystal clear simultaneous recording is guaranteed when using this dash cam.
The camera is also able to be connected to Wi-Fi allowing you to upload it to your computer as well as Youtube, Instagram, Facebook and all other kinds of social media.
An app is also provided by VaVa that allows you to watch footage recorded from the camera live as well as control a limited amount of features from the camera.
Four lights are also installed with this camera that ensure a clear view whenever filming with this camera.
When coupled with the night vision mode it makes this VaVa one of the best at recording during the night as well as tricky weather conditions.
Features:
- Loop recording available in 1, 2 and 3 minuted modes.
- Comes with very easy playback that can be done using the camera’s user interface or through your mobile phone.
- Designed to be compact so it does not impair your field of vision as well as so it does not break very easily.
- The mobile app can be linked up to Google Maps allowing you to use the GPS features to always track the location of your vehicle.
- Detailed tracking that apart from including your location, and the time also includes the temperature.
Summary
The VaVA Dual Front And Read Dash Cam is arguably the best dash cams for truckers out there who happen to be driving for long periods of time during the night time.
Additionally this dash cam comes with ‘Essential Eye Witness’ which is a feature that allows the camera to instantly footage if any collisions or other accidents occur and are detected.
5. Byakov Upgraded Dash Cam
This dashcam is an affordable dashboard cam that is created to be a powerful camera with excellent night vision.
This camera does not come with a battery but instead has to be plugged into the car with the battery charged when the vehicle’s engine is running.
The camera is impressive as it comes with a touch screen even though it is so cheap, using the interface you can playback all recorded footage with no mobile app currently being available for this dashboard camera.
You can also view the recorded footage by inserting the SD card into a computer.
A lot of customization options are available with this camera with the ability to remove the sound from your video recordings which is a good feature if you are trying to save space.
You can also set a customer watermark on the recording, an annoying feature however is that the time and date need to be manually set.
Features:
- F1.8 Wide Aperture that allows you to shoot better in darkness without any need for extra light.
- A Parking Monitor that constantly records ensuring that everything is capture even when you are not in the car.
- G-Sensor that ensures that your camera automatically turns if there are any vibrations detected.
- WDR settings that allow you to modify the brightness of the recordings.
- Automatic recording settings with the dash cam instantly starting when you turn your cars engine so you never have to worry about your dash cam being out of battery.
Summary
The Byakov Upgraded Dash Cam is a competitively priced dash cam that comes with all the features that you would expect from a high quality dash cam like this.
It has decent footage quality that can be adjusted depending on whether you preference saving storage space or having higher quality footage.
The 24 hour parking monitoring system and the built-in G-Sensor also make sure that your dashboard camera is recording even when you are out of your truck.
6. UltraDash 1080p HD Dash Cam
A good value for money dash cam when you consider the advanced and original features that it comes from such as a magnetic charging mount that reduces the chances of the charging plug from snapping.
This camera is designed to be easy to use and also be out of the way with the LCD display being just 2 inches in size giving you all the space that you need to see what is in front of you when driving (it is a mini dashboard camera).
Furthermore, this dashboard camera comes with its own specially made suction mount that allows you to very easily turn the camera 360 degrees in all directions which can be a useful feature.
It is important to note that this HD dash cam currently on accepts micro SD cards as a form of storage, however you can also use Wi-Fi and USB cables to transfer footage from this device.
Features:
- Available to record in 1080p at 30 frames per second allowing for very high quality footage.
- Comes with an in-built Sony Exmor image sensor allowing for great footage both day and night.
- Auto file protection feature that makes sure that the footage that you want to keep does not get deleted even when out of memory storage.
- Battery LED light that effectively notifies the status of the battery life of the device.
- G-Sensor that allows for your camera to always be on when movement is sensed.
Summary
The UltraDash 1080p is a small camera that comes with its very own patented feature which is the magnetic charging point that guarantees a smooth experience every time you go to charge the device.
It has a lot of great features but it is still priced at the higher end with not all of the features being essential.
7. Street Guardian SG9665GC (Best Overall)
Features:
- 1080p recording quality at 30FPS
- Excellent night vision recording
- GPS tracking built in
- Supports microSD cards up to 256gb for huge recording capacity
- 4.4/5 stars on Amazon
- A great dash camera for trucks and for general purpose use
- 1 year warranty included
Summary:
The Street Guardian SG9665GC is a great mid-range camera that is priced affordably but offers the features that truckers need.
It has great night vision, 1080P picture quality, and supports up to 256gb SD cards (see our SD card for dash cam list).
8. WheelWitness HD PRO
Features:
- Up to 2306x1296P recording quality (super HD)
- Wide dynamic range technology for superior night vision
- GPS tracking built in
- Comes with an SD card
- 4.3/5 stars on Amazon
- 1 year warranty included
- Click here to learn more
Summary:
The WheelWitness HD Pro is a high quality truck dash cam that offers excellent recording quality, allowing for crisp capturing of license plates and other important details.
The picture quality is also quite good at night.
The only downside is that the maximum SD card storage size is significantly lower than other options.
9. Vantrue X1 Pro
Features:
- Up to 2.5K @30fps, or 1080p @60fps
- High dynamic range technology for better night recording
- GPS tracking unit available (optional, sold separately)
- Supports up to 64gb SD card
- 4.2/5 stars on Amazon
- 18 month warranty included
Summary:
The Vantrue X1 Pro is a popular trucker dash cam and a close contender for the best dash cam for truckers.
The device offers stellar recording quality, solid night vision, and a (sold separately) GPS unit for location tracking.
Some reviewers complained of poor customer service from this company, however, which made it lower ranked on our list.
10. Nextbase 522gw
Features:
- Emergency sos
- Alexa compatible
- Nextbase autosync
- Mynextbase
- Intelligent parking mode
Summary:
The Nextbase 522gw is an affordable, reliable, dashcam option for truckers.
The camera works well and is made by one of the most notable manufacturers in the industry.
Why is a Truck Dash Cam Necessary?
While not strictly required in most cases, it’s our opinion that every trucker should have a dash cam installed and working.
With thousands of miles on the road every year, the chances of having an accident are high – even if you’re a safe driver.
And if you are not at fault for the accident, having video proof can be very valuable in insurance disputes.
Another reason truckers may benefit from using a dash cam is that it can help protect them in employer disputes involving customer complaints.
Say your employer gets an angry call from a citizen saying that you were tailgating them on the highway.
Without proof otherwise, your employer will likely side with the caller, and you may be punished.
But if you can pull up video evidence that shows otherwise, you’re off the hook! (better quality video in 4k dash cameras means clearer evidence)
This video is a good example of why it’s worthwhile for truckers to have a dash cam!
Do Truck Drivers Have Dash Cameras?
Dash Cameras are becoming a standard in the trucking industry with the majority of veteran truck drivers and trucking companies using them as a way to stay safe and to have evidence if they ever get involved in any accidents.
If you do not have dash cameras it is your word against the word of the other party that is involved in the accident.
As for the trucking companies, another benefit is that when there is a trucker dash cam installed then your drivers will most likely drive a lot better as everything they are doing is being recorded and can be viewed by the owners.
It can also be beneficial for training beginner drivers who can look back on the footage of the dash cams to see how they can learn from their mistakes and prevent costly accidents from occurring.
Does Dash Cam Affect the Battery?
In most cases no as it would take a long time of not driving the truck or car for the battery to be drained.
It is possible for this to happen but because of the engine activity the battery should recharge when the car or truck is running.
Can I Use a GoPro as a Dash Cam?
Yes you can use a GoPro as your dash cam if you want to but it is not the best option especially if you are a long haul driver.
First of all GoPros on average will set you back a few hundred dollars while you can get a high quality dash cam for under $100.
The fact that the GoPro is so expensive increases the risk of your truck being broken into which will set you back not just money but also precious hours that you could instead be spending on the road.
The other problem with using a GoPro as your dash cam is that it has a very short battery with the average GoPro’s battery lasting for about 2 hours when constantly recording.
This means that you will have to be frequently taking off and charging your GoPro which is extremely tedious.
Furthermore you will have to make sure that your GoPro is always on while purpose made dash cams are created so that they never go into ‘sleep mode’ but instead are recording 24/7.
How Much Is a Dash Cam?
The average dash cam costs under $100 with the higher quality ones going over the $100, despite dash cams being indispensable for truck drivers they are a fairly simple piece of technology which justifies why they are on average so low priced.
As a buyer you should not base your purchases just on the price, instead you should focus on the value for money as well as the features that are most important to you.
Below we have listed a few important features that you should be aware of and look out for when buying a truck driver dash cam, we go into further detail about those features in our ‘Which Dash Cam Is the Best to Buy?’ section below.
- Long Battery Life
- Dash Cams that accept memory/SD cards that can be used to save the footage on a computer.
- GPS and time tracking are also a very useful feature that allows you to have an exact record when you are playing back the footage which is very useful if you are analyzing any certain scenes for whatever reason.
- Another useful feature is the so-called ‘parking mode’ which is a special mode that automatically turns on your camera when various factors are met such as your car moving or shaking and loud noises which is very useful if someone tries to break into your car (our parking mode dash cam review should help You here).
- It is also good that your trucker dash cam comes with its own high quality mount so you don’t have to waste any more time and money buying a mount separately.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a dash cam is an essential piece of equipment that every truck driver out there should have in order to save themselves a lot of time and money in the long run.
All of these cameras are great options to be the best dash cam for truckers and will do the job however make sure to focus on the little features that will be most useful to your situation e.g. if you drive a lot when it is dark then get a dash cam that will be able to record high quality footage during those times.
If you didn’t find the right model for you, read our other reviews:
- Best heat resistant dash cam
- Best hidden dashboard cam
- Best rear view mirror dash camera
- Best motorcycle dashboard camera
- Reddit picks the best dash cam
Is driving Your daily job? Check out our dash cam for Uber and Lyft dashboard cameras articles.
Let us know if you have any questions.
