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Just like any other vehicle on the road, big rig trucks and semis are susceptible to accidents and on-road incidents. To prevent worst-case scenarios or to capture them if the inevitable occurs, a good truck dash cam can come in handy. Whether you’re an individual truck driver or a fleet manager, check out our guide on the best dash cam for truckers to meet your needs and increase safety while capturing events on the road.
Summary List
- Best Overall: Rove R2-4K Dash Cam
- Best Value: Old Shark 3-Inch Dash Cam
- Honorable Mention: Nexar Beam GPS Dash Cam
- Best GPS/Dash Cam Combo: Garmin dezlCam 785 LMT-S
Our Methodology
Here at The Drive, we strive to tell it like it is, both in our news coverage and our product recommendations. That’s a site tenent. With that in mind, we ran through the various dash cams available, separating the chaff from the wheat, to bring you the best semi and big rig truck dash cams we could find. Luckily, there’s not much difference between a normal dash cam and one designed for a truck, so many of our recommendations for your car also work for your rig.
And if you want to know more about our product review guidelines, click here.
Best Dash Cams for Truckers: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall
Rove R2-4K Dash Cam
Best Value
Old Shark 3-Inch Dash Cam
Honorable Mention
Nexar Beam GPS Dash Cam
Best GPS/Dash Cam Combo
Garmin dezlCam 785 LMT-S, GPS Truck Navigator with Built-in Dash Cam
Our Verdict on the Best Dash Cams for Truckers
Our top overall pick, the Rove R2-4K dash cam, is a good general dash cam that provides coverage on both the front and rear of your vehicle.
For a budget-friendly option that doesn’t sacrifice too much in recording quality, check out the Old Shark 3-Inch Dash Cam instead.
Key Features
Camera
The most important part of any dash cam is the camera itself if you want clear images and clear videos from the device. In order to get the most in terms of recording quality, the built-in camera needs to have a clean glass lens, good recording resolution, and a wide recording angle. Typically, full high-definition recording is standard for most truck and general-use dash cams. Higher resolutions like 2K and 4K are also common in the upper price ranges. Any of these resolutions are good for superior video quality. For truck use, a recording angle of around 170 degrees is best.
Display
To actually see the recorded footage or what the camera sees in real time, you’ll need a built-in display. In general, bigger displays are better for real-time use. LCD screens around 3 inches or more in size also make it easier to use advanced safety features like blind spot monitoring. A resolution of at least 1080p (full HD video) is the best for spotting details. Larger screens also make menus and settings more user-friendly.
Memory
Most dash cams don’t record and save everything they see. This is why memory is important. To save space, some actually only turn on when an accident is detected or when set to manual by the user. Since memory is limited, most dash cams only use loop recording that captures footage a few minutes in length that will get deleted as new footage is recorded. You’ll be stuck with the built-in memory of some camera options, but many come with expandable SD memory card slots to swap out new memory.
Trucking Dash Cam Pricing
You’ll spend between $100 and $300 for a good-quality dash cam for your semi truck or big rig. You don’t need to spend any more than that.
FAQ
You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.
A. No, they won’t. They’re not blind spot monitoring systems.
A. Many trucks and other vehicles have an automatic shut-off with the 12-volt cigarette lighter plug if the battery is used too long without the engine running. Some dash cams also have an automatic shut-off to prevent damage to the battery or power plug.
A. Some dash cams can record audio from the interior compartment. For truck use, these dash cams are perfect if you want to keep an eye on drivers from within the inside of the cabin.
