Cameras in vans

[Rage24]

What exactly do they detect? Audio? Do they know if you have seabelt on etc?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The cameras in vans you mention are not being rolled out nationally, as far as I know unless I mised an LTB or agreements, but some specific offices have indeed had them installed in some vans.

From a search on the Internet, I found out that they can detect:
Seatbelt status (via the van’s own sensor, fed into the camera unit)
Speed (from GPS in the camera unit)
Harsh events (impact, sudden braking, etc.)
Forward‑facing road footage
Driver door opening/closing (some models)

These cameras specifically do not detect:
Audio
In‑cab video of the driver (unless a depot has fitted inward‑facing cameras — extremely rare)
Conversations
Phone use (unless visible in the forward camera view)
Sorting behaviour

The seatbelt detection is the one causing most of the disciplinary grief.

Or if you meant forward-facing Royal Mail dashcams can record audio, but Royal Mail has audio recording turned OFF.

Why audio is disabled
Two reasons:
A. GDPR / DPA 2018

Recording audio in a workplace vehicle is classed as high‑intrusion monitoring.
Royal Mail would need:
A published DPIA
A lawful basis
A workforce consultation
Clear signage
A retention policy

They have none of these for audio.

B. Royal Mail doesn’t want the liability
Audio recording would capture:
Conversations
Customer details
Addresses
Phone calls
Personal data
That creates a data‑breach nightmare.

What the dashcams do record

Forward road video
GPS speed
Impact events
Harsh braking/acceleration
Seatbelt status (if wired into the van’s sensor)
Time and location
Footage around an incident (usually 10–20 seconds on either side).

So after all that, yes, they can detect seat belt use, or non-use

[Rage24]

Thanks

[yellowbelly]

The cameras in vans you mention are not being rolled out nationally, as far as I know unless I mised an LTB or agreements, but some specific offices have indeed had them installed in some vans.

.....

Think there was something about them only being installed in wagons under a certain 'age'. I'll see if I can find it.

[mozilla]

It's in LTB 237/25 . Ive got it my van and it was supposed to start talking to me a couple of weeks ago but I haven't heard a peep yet .

[TopperGas]

The cameras in vans you mention are not being rolled out nationally, as far as I know unless I mised an LTB or agreements, but some specific offices have indeed had them installed in some vans.

.....

Think there was something about them only being installed in wagons under a certain 'age'. I'll see if I can find it.

It was under 9 years old