Truckers spend most of their time on the road. They drive slower, heavier, and with more responsibility than 4-wheelers. They drive for hours on end and in all kinds of weather. They stop to refresh and leave their cargo unattended. Accordingly, they are vulnerable in ways that other drivers are not, and therefore require a particular kind of protection. Many individual drivers choose to protect themselves from being blamed for an accident or from theft by buying a dash cam that records the road in front of their vehicle, but because of their unique needs, truckers require more than the standard protection. They need to choose the best dash cam for trucks, one that protects them from the risks that threaten them the most.
A truck dash cam is a dash cam that suits the needs of truckers. The best dash cams for trucks are usually dual-facing, meaning that they have two cameras - one that records the front of the truck and one that records the inside. Just like for any driver, the front-view camera protects truckers (and their owners) from unfair penalties or claims if there is a road incident. The interior camera, sometimes called a cabin camera, serves several purposes. Recording on the inside of the truck means that the camera captures both the driver and any passengers, and if positioned correctly, any cargo that the truck is transporting. Since truckers are responsible for cargo that may be susceptible to spillage or theft, having eyes on the inside means that leaks or spills can be caught on camera and stopped before they get out of hand.
What’s more, is that dash cams that are connected offer the ability to live stream. This means that an owner of a truck or fleet can tap into the dash cam’s live feed and see both in front of the truck and inside the cabin in real-time, forgoing the need to wait to review the footage until the truck returns home. They can coach the driver about safety practices immediately after viewing the drive from their phone or any other device.
How to choose the best dash cam for your truck
Time to get to know different types of truck dash cams!
Best dash cams: At a glance
- Our overall pick: Nexar One
- Samsara CM32
- The Blackvue DR900S-2CH
When choosing the best dash cam for your truck, it is important to understand the different types of dash cams for trucks available and to weigh your unique needs against their various features. There is a large range of options and features, and we’ve selected the ones that we feel are the most important for truckers.
Key features of dash cams for trucks
#1 Parking Mode
Since truckers are often away from their vehicles, either at rest stops or sleeping over at a motel, their trucks are sometimes left unattended. Their cargo is at risk of theft, even if the rig is locked. Many dash cams have a feature called Parking Mode, where sensors in the camera detect movement and impact. Upon detection, the camera is activated and begins recording. Users receive a message when they come back to the truck, and dash cams that are “connected” send users alerts in real-time. For truckers, being alerted in real-time can mean the difference between stopping a theft in the act and only discovering it after the fact. Parking Mode provides built-in security for the truck and its contents.
#2 Wide-angle view
Trucks can be massive vehicles. Having a wide view of what is in front of you, paired with a partial rear-view provided by an interior-facing camera, reduces blind spots. Recording information around the truck provides more context in case of an incident. It shows the location and actions of other vehicles or pedestrians that may be missed by a camera with a smaller range of vision. You want cameras that have the widest view possible so that nothing important is missed.
#3 Night Vision
Truckers are often on the road at night and a camera’s visibility can be hindered by dim lighting. Dash cams that have infrared technology are able to see clearly during even the darkest hours and the dimmest lighting. They are able to capture footage clearly, keeping all evidence clear and unequivocal.
#4 Resolution
Dash cams come with a variety of resolutions, the most common qualities are, 720p, 1080p, 2k, and 4k. The higher the resolution, the clearer the picture. Higher resolution cameras capture more detail that can be submitted as evidence. Full HD 1080p is standard for HD dash cams. 720p is still considered High Definition but is not as detailed as the higher resolutions. The 2k and 4k resolutions allow for the most detailed footage view, with 4k providing the clearest picture and best contrast and color range. The higher the resolution, the more chance of capturing details that can be used as critical evidence, like license plate numbers or road signage.
#5 Connected
Connected dash cams use a high-speed internet connection to save your drives to the cloud. This allows you to tap into the camera's live feed from wherever you are, so if you want to see what’s going on in and around your rig while eating lunch at a diner, all you have to do is open an app on your phone, and you can livestream. For truck and fleet owners, the ability to drive along with the driver in real-time and to see in and around the truck even when it’s parked is an amazing asset that can improve driver performance and save money on insurance expenses.
We’ve selected some of the best dash cams for truckers available (all dual-facing) and have broken them down according to pros and cons...Check it out!
The Nexar One
The Nexar One stands out as a strong choice for truckers, offering a powerful and comprehensive set of features tailored to long hours on the road and parked vehicle protection. As a connected dash cam, it enables remote access through the Nexar app, including live streaming, real-time alerts when an impact is detected, and automatic cloud backup of important footage. The front-facing camera records in sharp 4K resolution, while the interior camera captures in 720p with infrared night vision, ensuring clear footage both day and night. With a wide field of view—140° outside and 160° inside—it captures a complete picture of the road and cabin.
The Nexar One is priced at $429.95. To access connected features like live streaming, cloud backup, GPS tracking, and parking alerts, users can either choose a yearly LTE Protection Plan at $95.88 per year (paid upfront, no trial), or start with a 30-day free trial and continue on a $9.99/month plan afterward. Users can also switch to the free Basic Plan, which includes Wi-Fi access and AI incident detection.
Shop Nexar One
Samsara has a well-established, trusted name in the fleet industry. The CM32 is a solid dash cam that records in 1080p and uses AI to help fleet owners identify and prevent risky driving in real time. It features live scene analysis, a built-in speaker for driver coaching, and detects behaviors like tailgating, distraction, or rolling stops. The system also tracks harsh braking and acceleration, triggering in-cab alerts when needed, and automatically uploads footage to the Samsara Cloud for review.
In terms of pricing, the CM32 is positioned on the higher end and is typically sold as part of a bundled fleet solution. Hardware costs are generally around $400+ per camera, with an ongoing subscription (often ~$30–$80/month per vehicle) required to access cloud storage, AI features, and fleet management tools. While Samsara provides cloud video access and near real-time insights, it does not offer the same continuous live streaming experience as consumer dash cams, and contracts usually require a multi-year commitment.
The Blackvue DR900S-2CH
The BlackVue DR900S-2CH stands out for its 4K resolution, delivering a clear and highly detailed image. It also offers a wide field of view, with 162° in the front and 139° in the rear. The camera features an 8MP image sensor and built-in motion detection, making it a strong safety addition. It performs well in low-light conditions, helping ensure important details aren’t missed at night.
On the downside, this dash cam isn’t designed to integrate with fleet management software, so users miss out on advanced insights, trends, and tracking features available in more fleet-focused solutions. It’s also relatively expensive, with pricing typically in the $430–$650 range, depending on configuration and bundle.
Conclusion
Truckers are vulnerable on the road in ways that other drivers aren’t. Dash cams can provide protection in the form of video evidence and valuable information about driving performance. Selecting the right dash cam adds an important safety measure and can save precious money on insurance costs for fleet owners.