After a lengthy process we’ve found the best dash cam for truckers on the market right now.
There’s a full guide later on, but for now check out the reviews below to see what the top choices are for price, popularity and performance.
Best Budget Option
Best Value Option
Best Performer
Best Budget Option
Best Value Option
Best Performer
If your company doesn’t provide a dash cam for your truck, or you own your own vehicle, then you may want to think about getting one yourself.
A dash cam can be one of the most effective ways to protect yourself out on the road. They’re inexpensive and easy to use.
Let’s take a look at some of the best around…
Rating: (4.3 / 5)
The sheer volume of positive feedback, the quality of its recording capabilities, and it’s ease of use have all helped to drag the KDLinks X1 to the top of our list, fighting off some stern competition along the way.
This super slim dash cam features full HD video with a wide, 165° viewing angle to capture anything you need it to.
The X1 automatically records hands-free in a continuous loop meaning once it’s set up there’s nothing more for you to do.
It comes with an 8GB micro SD card, and it’s ready to use straight out of the box!
Boasting superior night-vision capabilities, this dash cam uses world class F1.6 Six-Glass lenses, and a unique dashcam WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) video system (which apparently is similar to HDR technology in cameras).
It has a built-in GPS module to record data straight into the dash cam which allows you to check video clips and vehicle location, as well as your speed and route.
An emergency lock button and G-Sensor accident auto detection feature allows you to lock any given video file to be used as evidence or security should you need it.
It also comes with a one year warranty to cover any hardware issues, and KDLinks offer excellent customer support.
Of all the dash cams that we reviewed this one received the highest score from the largest amount of independent users (approaching 4,000).
If you’re a truck driver and you want a dash cam that you can rely on, you need look no further.
Rating: (4.3 / 5)
Next up, and unlucky not to be our number one pick, is the WheelWitness HD Pro camera with 170 degrees of viewing.
This is the perfect camera to capture high-quality and high resolution video with one of the most powerful processors in the business.
It films in super HD 2K at 2304 x 1296 pixels and features WGR and HDR technology so that you can see everything you need to, even at night when other cameras may not work as well.
With multiple exposures, you’re always able to get the best picture possible, no matter what time of the day or night it is.
In addition, it comes with GPS that will capture the location and coordinates of your vehicle as well as your speed.
The WheelWitness and the KDLinks both score an impressive 4.3 stars out of 5, however the former has received feedback from over 3,500 independent users to the latter’s 400 or so, so the KDLinks just edges it for us.
Still, the WheelWitness is an excellent choice at an excellent price.
Rating: (3.8 / 5)
This Crosstour dash cam has a large LCD screen that measures three inches across with a 12 megapixel resolution and full HD recording.
If you spend all day in a truck, then you need to protect yourself with a dash cam and this is one of the best out there for the money.
This camera features 170 degree wide-angle viewing that allows you to see for up to four lanes of traffic in perfect clarity.
It has technology that provides better light transmission which means that even in lowlight conditions, you’re still going to get a really clear picture.
It also comes with a sensor that can detect even small impact to lock the video footage, preventing it from being overwritten or destroyed.
If you’re on the fence about getting a dash cam for your truck the price of this one should really swing it for you. It could save you a fortune further down the road (no pun intended).
Rating: (3.9 / 5)
This OldShark camera very nearly took the best budget spot on our list, as well as the best value option.
It has a three-inch screen and features a 170 degree wide-angle lens with an F 1.6 aperture sensor that captures clear video footage at 1080p HD.
When it comes to protecting yourself on the road, you need to be able to view every detail, and that means having a camera with as high resolution as possible, while still being able to fit on your dashboard, and is available at a reasonable price.
This one features a stable clipset with smooth recording and it is durable enough to capture quality footage on the bumpiest of rides.
In addition, in the event of a collision, the video footage is locked and protected.
This is a really solid choice.
Rating: (4.1 / 5)
This dash cam is equipped with a technology called ADAS, which stands for advanced driver assistance system.
It uses one of the most advanced visual recognition algorithms currently on the market, and is even used by emergency services and professionals all over the world.
Like some of the other cameras on this list, it’s equipped with a G sensor that saves footage in a collision and it provides wide-angle coverage to cover at least three lanes of traffic, which we really like.
The YI records in high definition as standard.
It also has image sensors that act almost as infrared emitters to record at night and still get a good visual record.
It averages a strong score of 4.1 stars out of 5 from over 2,500 independent reviews, and given that you can grab it for less than 50 bucks we feel it represents excellent value for money.
Great wide angle coverage too.
Rating: (4.3 / 5)
Another terrific dash cam is this one from AUKEY, and you get many of the standard features that you find with all of the other cams that we’ve been discussing here, including full information backup in case of a collision and 1080p video recording.
You can also get optional in-car audio for added protection and it comes with a 170 degree field of view, emergency recording, and loop recording as standard.
You’re protected from all of the potential hazards on the road with this camera, and it overwrites old data unless you save it so that you can keep the camera recording for as long as you need to without worrying.
With positive reviews from over 600 independent users, and given how well priced it is, the AUKEY could easily have made it into our top 3.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating: (4 / 5)
This dual dash cam from Z-EDGE is a great witness to protect yourself in the event of a vehicle collision, making it the perfect companion for truckers on the road.
This camera records in full HD with a four-inch IPS display, and it mounts very easily on your windshield to give you the perfect viewing angle.
The installation takes seconds, and the camera tilts up and down so that you can adjust it no matter which truck you’re in.
It features dual HD recording with 30 frames per second, front and rear recording, and 1080p resolution with 150-degree viewing angle.
It even has a battery that enables it to record for 30 minutes without any sort of power input.
Rating: (4.1 / 5)
Another Crosstour entry at number 8, this reliable dash cam is easy to use, records very well, and has a three-inch LCD screen for clear viewing.
The FHD lens makes sure that you can read details clearly even in lowlight conditions like license plate numbers, bumper stickers and more.
The dash cam even operates when you’re parked, activating automatically when it detects an external force.
Data is locked up tight when the camera system detects a collision, and it has an extremely low profile that fits easily on your windshield without taking up any space or obstructing your view.
An up and coming best seller at the time of review.
Rating: (3.6 / 5)
This Beschoi mini dash cam is one of the budget options here, but it still records in full HD at 30 frames per second.
The screen is a little smaller than some of the other ones listed, at just two inches wide, but it is a full-color LCD screen and it comes with some other great safety features like an IR sensor and a 170 degree viewing angle.
It’s not going to win many awards, buts it’s functional, won’t take up much room in a busy truck cabin, and is relatively kind on your wallet.
If you’re on the fence and don’t want to spend too much then give this one some thought.
Rating: (3.9 / 5)
Vantrue makes the last dash cam on our list, and this is a slightly more premium level option that records in high-quality video with a wide-angle lens and a high dynamic range for processing at night.
It records at a super high rate (in 2.5K at 2560 x 1440 at 30fps resolution) to capture everything from street signs and license plates, to other vehicles in excellent high quality video.
It has a 24 hour parking monitor mode with optional GPS, “super” night vision”, and 170° wide angle coverage.
If you’re a truck driver and you want a serious dash cam to back you up when you need it the Vantrue would be a good investment.
It came in at around a hundred bucks when we reviewed it, which we think is a steal.
The bottom line is that there are quite a few dash cams on the market these days, but the ones listed here are perfect for professionals who drive for a living and want to protect themselves in the case of an accident or other incident where video recording could be vital evidence.
They’ll all do a good job, although if you pushed us we’d have to say that the KDLInks or the WheelWitness really stand out. If you’re prepared to pay top dollar then go for the KDLinks dash cam. It’s worth it for the extra features.
If you’re on the fence then the WheelWitness is a really good choice and you should just go with that and save the difference in cash. It won’t disappoint.
Here’s a little preview of it in action:
For a budget option the Crosstour DVR and the Old Shark are both recommended.
And if space in your truck cabin is at a premium the Auckey 6 Lane Dash Cam takes some beating.
The main reason to get a dash cam is obviously so that you can have an accurate record of any incidents that occur involving your vehicle.
Even the most astute driver can’t see all of the road all of the time, and even if he or she could, when an accident does occur, it’s often one person’s word against the other when it comes to apportioning blame.
A dash cam takes away the ambiguity.
With clear footage of how an accident occurred, insurance claims and fault-based disputes can be settled significantly faster and with less expense.
For the typical recreational driver this is a nice touch, but for a truck driver, whose business or employment may ride on the outcome of such a claim, this can be vital.
With insurance premiums already through the roof small businesses and owner operators who rely on their trucks to provide their services can ill afford to be struck with further increases.
And many an employee has lost his or her job or been looked over for promotion due to a traffic accident that was not their fault.
If you’re a truck driver or the owner of a small fleet, here are some benefits that you should consider:
1. Your Vehicle Is More Likely to Be Involved In An Accident
Whether moving or stationary, a truck takes up more of the road.
It’s bigger, and therefore harder to manoeuvre than a standard sized car. It’s also harder for other drivers to avoid.
It takes longer for your truck to come to a stop at higher speeds.
And it sticks out further into the road when parked.
Truck drivers often get a bad rap from other motorists, but the reality is that those other motorists have just as much of an obligation to avoid your vehicle as you do theirs.
With the increased likelihood of an incident you really should be thinking about getting a dash cam.
If you suspect one of your drivers is handling a fleet vehicle loosely your dash cam will tell you.
And if your truck is the victim of a hit and run, you’ll have the culprit on camera.
2. They Can Help Improve Your Driving
A secondary, and often overlooked benefit of installing a dash cam in your truck, is that it can actually help to improve your driving habits.
Many modern dashboard cameras feature a live feed which provides you, the driver, with information that you wouldn’t otherwise have.
If you habitually take up a little more of the left hand side of a lane, regularly park with your rear end too far from the curb, or drive closer to the car in front than you realise, a dash cam will show that up.
You can then make corrections to your driving that will make you a safer driver.
The knock on effect will be less incidents, fewer claims and, hopefully, lower insurance premiums.
3. They’re Cheap!
When you consider how much you spent on a truck in the first place, how much you spend on maintenance and repairs, and how much your insurance premiums run to, the cost of having the extra layer of security that a dash cam provides is very little.
With some of the models on our list costing as little as $39.99 at the time of review it’s hard to see why you wouldn’t fork out just a little bit for the benefits referred to above.
The value of the footage that one of these devices can store can be worth many times the cost of the unit itself.
4. A Dash Cam With Parking Protection – For Peace Of Mind
As we’ve touched upon, many modern dashboard cams come with a built in parking monitor to record dings and scratches that happen while you’re not there.
They start recording when they detect potential impact.
The number of hit and run crashes is surprising, and trucks are prime candidates for a broken wing mirror from a careless driver who speeds off without leaving a note.
With a dash cam you can park up safe in the knowledge that if your truck is scraped you’ll have a record of who did it so that the costs of the repairs don’t come out of your own pocket.
5. Insurance Companies Are Warming To Them
With the rise in the popularity of dash cams insurance companies have had to sit up and take note.
Although they’re happy to charge you the earth for their cover, they’re also terrified of losing your business.
For quite some time now insurers have been accepting dash cam evidence in the event of a motoring incident under the terms of their policies.
Once one did, they all started to follow suit.
We’d suggest that you check with your insurer that they accept dash cam footage under the terms of your policy just to be safe.
If they do you can purchase a dash cam safe in the knowledge that if anything happens to your truck that’s not your fault you’re protected.
6. They’re Easy To Use
Many truckers are old school types (we should know because some of us are) – reluctant to change and ignorant of technological advances (us again!).
So naturally we sometimes resist new things because so far we’ve done just fine without them and we don’t want to have to learn new ways.
Well, with the dash cams of today there really is nothing to them.
In fact, most of the products on our list are ready to use straight from the box. You simply attach them to the dash, plug them in, and off you go.
7. Dash Cam With GPS – Double Benefits
Several of the dash cams that we reviewed have built-in GPS features.
The benefit here is twofold.
First, this will help from a navigational point of view. You can just plug in an address and follow the route on screen – essentially your unit becomes a dash cam with sat nav.
Second, in the event of a break down, the GPS signal can be transmitted to the emergency services or relayed to the vehicle recovery company so that they can find you and get your truck fixed up and back on the road much sooner.
We covered a lot of ground in the benefits section above but there are still plenty of practical questions that remain unanswered.
We’ve tried to answer the most common of those below.
Q – What Is A Dash Cam?
A – It’s a device that you install in your vehicle (usually on or around the dashboard) that makes a video recording of your journey so that you have a visual record of any incidents that occur while you are driving.
Some models provide the same recording features when your vehicle is parked and stationary also.
Q – How Does A Dash Cam Work?
A – Once installed they work in the same way as a normal video camera, recording everything that the screen picks up.
A standard model will have a forward facing camera to capture everything that happens with the traffic in front of you. You can also get a dash cam with a backup camera to record everything that happens behind you as well.
The footage is stored on a disk for future use should you need it.
Q – Dash Cam Installation – How Do I Do It?
A – If you’re wondering how to hardwire a dash cam, instructions vary between models.
Assuming that you’re not installing a wireless cam in your truck, the most common setup involves attaching a suction mount on the top of the unit, securing that to the inside of the windscreen, inserting an SD card, and fuse link cables running behind the cabins headlining.
Here’s a handy instructional clip from Nextbase to help:
Q – I Want To Know How To Hide Dash Cam Wires?
A – You should run them along the roof of the cabin behind the headlining and behind the door weather sealing. See the video above for further help.
Q – Dash Cam Positioning – Where Should I Put It?
A – This is a great question because you don’t want to just throw it up in a position that could be challenged by your insurers.
Ideally you should mount it behind your rear-view mirror (in the centre of the windscreen), so that it can record both lanes of traffic, as well as any signs by the side of the road.
Q – Will My Dash Cam Footage Be Accepted?
A – This will vary from policy maker to policy maker. Ideally you should check before taking out any insurance whether the underwriters will accept dash cam footage.
On the whole, provided you’ve positioned the unit correctly, and the footage is clear it should in principle be accepted and any excess should be waived where a third party is at fault for the damage caused.
Q – Which Is The Best Dash Cam For Truckers?
A – The KDlinks takes some beating, but it is pricey. The Auckey is an excellent space saver in any cabin, and the Crosstour DVR is an awesome budget option. But for price, and all round value for money, it’s very hard to see passed the WheelWitness HD Pro. See the dash cam reviews above for further detail.
Choosing a dash cam for truck drivers can be tricky with so many options out there. The result is that many people prefer to stick to one or two brands that they’re familiar with.
There’s a couple that we feel deserve a special mention here. In particular WheelWitness, Yi and Z-Edge.
Firstly WheelWitness is a quality brand that is growing in popularity all the time. Their HD Pro dash cam scores really highly and is fast becoming the most popular unit out there. It deserves a special mention because of the premium quality and the huge price drop. It really does represent exceptional value for money and is therefore a great dash cam for trucks and vans.
Second, Yi Technology, which markets itself as “the leading provider of advanced, intelligent video, imaging and computer vision technologies” is another one to watch. At number 5 on our list their dual dash cam deserves its place and may rise higher with more reviews once this brand gets more coverage.
Finally Z-Edge, short for Zero Edge Technology, make a very good product. They’re an American company that “designs, develops and sells automotive and home consumer electronics products for everyday use”. And on that front they deliver.
These are all brands that you can rely on when choosing the best dash cam for truckers.
So there you have it. If you were wondering which dash cam to buy for your truck we hope you’ve now found the answer.
Have you used one of the products on our list before? If so, how did they perform. Are there any that you feel we’ve missed out?
Let us know below, we’d love to hear from you.
What next?
Wondering how to get a truck driving licence? Want to know all about the truck driving life? Or are you interested in learning some popular truck driving songs? Click on any of the links to find out more.
Are you a Powerstroke owner? Want a bit more power? Check out our guide to the best tuner for a 7.3 Powerstroke here.
Looking for a new CB Radio? Then why not check out our guide to the Best CB Radios here.