Utility and telecom crews face risk every day — on the road and at the jobsite. Whether workers are up in a bucket truck or operating heavy equipment, the work involves active machinery, nearby traffic and pedestrians, and variable conditions. Safety depends on what happens in the moment. But without real-time visibility, managers can’t confirm if protocols are being met or help when something goes wrong.
A missed PPE violation. An injury no one sees. A serious collision without context. These blind spots don’t just raise safety concerns — they drive up claims, downtime, and liability. With utilities already ranked the sixth most deadly industry in the United States, every delay puts workers under more pressure.
Protect your workforce
Transportation incidents account for 36% of all occupational fatalities, making them the leading cause of workplace deaths. For crews navigating blackout conditions, storm-damaged roads, or unfamiliar terrain, the risk increases significantly during emergency response efforts.
To raise the bar on safety, utility and telecom fleets need visibility they can act on right away. That starts with understanding risk in the moment — and supporting crews with real-time tools.
The Motive AI Dashcam is built to meet these conditions head-on. It detects behaviors such as close following, cell phone use, and distracted driving, issuing real-time alerts so drivers can self-correct before an accident occurs.
Here’s how modern AI dash cams support a safer fleet:
Proactive Coaching: Real-time alerts coach drivers the moment unsafe behavior occurs, reinforcing safe habits exactly when they’re needed.
Self-Coaching Tools: Through the Motive Driver App, operators can review their Safety Scores and dash cam events; identify trends; and improve on their own time — without having to involve their manager.
Prioritized Coaching: Driver coaching takes time — about 30 minutes per driver — making it tough for managers to coach everyone quickly. However, some Motive customers have cut coaching time by 31%, using the industry’s most accurate AI and expert video review to root out false positives. As a result, managers can focus on safety events that really matter — and get on with their day.
Fewer Incidents: Better driver awareness, coupled with timely coaching, leads fleets to fewer accidents, fewer claims, and a stronger safety culture. Motive data shows that fleets that use Motive dash cams and frequently coach drivers have experienced 56% fewer unsafe driving incidents than others.
How AI dash cams help lower claims costs
For commercial fleets, avoiding a big claim isn’t easy, even when the driver is innocent. Drivers of large telecom and utility vehicles are often assumed to be at fault in accidents involving smaller vehicles.
“When you have video evidence showing your driver isn’t at fault, it can eliminate or reduce any payout, potentially saving millions,” notes Brad Schneider, Director of Underwriting, Transportation, at Sentry.
Passenger car drivers often see an opportunity to make money from utility companies with “deep pockets.” But AI dash cams are giving these fleets a new kind of power — the power of exoneration. With dash cams in their vehicles, fleets don’t have to settle cases. Not when they have video evidence proving they weren’t at fault.
“Having AI dash cam footage in your corner clears up any question about who’s responsible,” Schneider adds. “You have recorded video that shows, indisputably, that your driver isn’t to blame.”
It’s one reason why AI dash cams have developed such a strong following. Motive’s Physical Economy Outlook shows that 73% of fleet leaders say roads are safer with AI-powered cameras. Another 64% say AI is crucial for preventing accidents and coaching drivers in the field.
And with dual-facing dash cams exonerating drivers in more than half of insurance claims and nearly half of court cases, support for AI dash cams is growing.
Customize safety programs to fit your operation
No two telecom or utility fleets face the same risks. Geography, crew size, vehicle mix, and jobsite environment all shape how safety should be managed. The Motive Integrated Operations Platform allows safety leaders to adapt settings to reflect these differences.
For example, fleets can assign more frequent alerts to newer drivers, while giving seasoned professionals a more intermittent coaching cadence. Leaders can focus alerts on high-impact behaviors like cellphone use at the wheel, or filter out seatbelt violations that may not require direct intervention.
This kind of flexibility allows teams to stay focused on what matters most. And as conditions evolve — whether due to seasonal storms or regulatory change — the feedback adapts to your operation.
Extend visibility into the field
Some of the most dangerous work utility and telecom crews engage in happens outside the vehicle. The Motive AI Omnicam delivers 360° HD video coverage around every vehicle, every second of the day. It captures crew activity near equipment, in traffic zones, even in the bucket. With complete visibility, safety managers can spot risks in real time and coach proactively to prevent injuries.
Faster response, smarter recovery
When a crash occurs — especially in rural or storm-damaged areas — every minute counts. The average response time to 911 calls in the U.S. is between 10 and 19 minutes. But for every minute that emergency response is accelerated, the risk of fatality drops by 13%. That’s not just a number. It’s someone’s life.
With Motive’s First Responder feature, safety managers are alerted immediately to every severe collision. They receive the vehicle’s precise location and instant access to HD video, allowing them to quickly dispatch emergency resources and get help to drivers.
See how Motive helps utility fleets lead with safety
Stronger safety doesn’t come from more alerts — it comes from clearer insight. When managers know exactly what’s happening and crews are ready to act, safety becomes part of the operation, not a response to it.
Discover how real-time visibility, AI-powered coaching, and HD video can help your team prevent incidents, respond faster, and protect what matters most. Explore our Driver Safety and Utility and Telecom pages today.
