At Ford Pro, our mission is to help businesses run safer, smarter, and more efficiently. We understand the daily challenges faced by van drivers and fleet managers across the UK — long hours, tight schedules, and the constant pressure of keeping a business moving.
But there’s another, often overlooked, challenge that deeply impacts our commercial customers: the unfair "blame game" in accident liability.
Our recent research 1 paints a clear picture. A staggering 59 per cent of van drivers in the UK believe they have been wrongly held liable in an accident while driving for work.
This isn't just a statistic; it's an injustice that can affect livelihoods and impact businesses of all sizes. Imagine being involved in a collision that wasn't your fault, only to find yourself shouldering part of the blame simply because of the vehicle you drive. As one van driver told us; "I genuinely believe being a van driver worked against me in this case."
This sentiment is echoed by 79 per cent of van drivers who fear being blamed for an accident that wasn’t their fault. And the consequences are real: 76 per cent fear the financial impact on their business or employment, from lost no-claims bonuses to increased premiums.
These concerns are backed up by responses from insurance brokers. We asked them: How often does a lack of clear evidence result in a 50/50 outcome for your clients, even when you believe they were not at fault?
The answer? For van-driving clients, 43 per cent of the time. That’s higher than for heavy goods vehicles, taxis, private passenger vehicles, buses, motorbikes and cyclists – making van drivers the most likely to shoulder some of the responsibility for accidents they likely did not cause.
The Evidence Gap
The problem can be exacerbated by a lack of clear evidence. Our survey revealed that "my word against theirs" often results in an unfair 50/50 liability split. In fact, more than two thirds (71 per cent) of the insurance brokers we surveyed said a lack of clear evidence resulted in 50/50 outcomes in more than one quarter (26 to 100 per cent) of cases for their van-driving clients. One driver told us; "Looking back, if I had a dashcam it would've been completely different."
For fleet managers, the picture is equally stark. Eighty-one per cent report their drivers have been wrongly blamed in accidents, leading to very real operational impacts.
Increases in repair costs, management time spent resolving claims, and even reputational damage with customers were cited. And — of course — a lack of compensation for a van being off the road can also hit the bottom line. A report commissioned by Ford Pro and compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) found a van off the road costs a business an average of £590 per day in the UK. 2
Unsurprisingly, 84 per cent of fleet managers fear the financial blow of wrongful liability accusations against their fleet. This isn’t just about protecting assets; it's about fulfilling a critical duty of care to their drivers.
“Dashcams are rapidly becoming an essential tool... Our integrated solution offers more than just a camera.”Jeremy Gould, director, Ford Pro Solutions, Europe
An Integrated Approach to Protection
This is where Ford Pro Telematics with Dashcam comes in. We believe it's time to level the playing field.
Our integrated solution, powered by our trusted partner Lytx — a global leader with over 25 years of experience in video telematics – offers much more than just a camera.
It works seamlessly with the Ford Pro Telematics platform to help improve driver safety through real-time behaviour coaching, whilst also providing reliable video evidence to protect businesses and drivers from unfair claims.
Dashcams are rapidly becoming an essential tool, with 83 per cent of van drivers already having one installed. However, our research showed many drivers and fleet managers still have significant concerns.
Almost 36 per cent of van drivers without a dashcam cited "not wanting to be watched" as a primary reason. This reflects understandable privacy concerns. Yet our research also shows that 75 per cent of drivers would either welcome being recorded as a way to help them drive more safely or would be okay with being recording provided the footage is secure. And 73 per cent believe clear dashcam footage would improve their chances of being found not at fault when they haven’t done anything wrong.
Our Telematics with Dashcam offering directly addresses this contradiction. Our OEM-level solution is designed with secure data handling and seamless integration at its core. Footage is stored locally on a protected 128 GB microSD card, and using the built-in modem in Ford vehicles, it supports live video streaming and event information from sensors around the vehicle to the Ford Pro Telematics platform for authorised access.
This helps ensure privacy and reliability, and it’s an approach that means dashcams become more than a surveillance tool. They become a trusted partner and a proactive measure, aligning with the 31 per cent of fleet managers who view them primarily as a tool for "duty of care" rather than just monitoring.
The Ford Pro Telematics Dashcam offers high definition 1080p recording, with 96-degree road-facing lens and a 144-degree wide-angle in-cab lens with infrared technology for low-light conditions.
Its AI and machine vision technology can identify high-risk behaviours such as distracted driving, mobile phone usage, smoking, and even signs of driver fatigue, allowing for proactive coaching.
Our system can also trigger video capture based on Ford Pro Telematics events like harsh braking or speeding, and drivers can activate recording manually to document specific incidents.
This critical evidence can lead to tangible financial incentives. Our survey of insurance brokers found that fitting a dashcam could lead to an insurance premium reduction of 11.5 per cent on average, with 50 per cent of brokers believing it could result in a reduction of more than 10 per cent.
At Ford Pro, we’re committed to equipping our customers with the tools they need to succeed. Our Ford Pro Telematics with Dashcam is a great example – offering peace of mind, financial protection, and a fairer outcome for the hard-working van drivers who keep our economy moving.
Jeremy Gould is director of Ford Pro Solutions, Europe
1 Fieldwork was conducted on behalf of Ford by Censuswide with 750 van drivers, 250 fleet managers and 250 insurance brokers from across the UK between December 2025 and January 2026. Censuswide abides by, and employs, members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
2 February 2026 research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research surveying 1000 businesses in France, Germany, Italy Spain and the UK to understand the indirect costs of vehicle downtime. Commissioned by Burson and Ford Motor Company.
