My lot said they’re for our protection. When I asked how, I was told a member of the public reported one of our drivers for using his phone whilst driving, and that the camera proved he was just scratching his ear - so the camera exonerated him. I asked my manager what would have happened in the days before cameras, as it would have been the caller’s word against the driver’s, and therefore not evidence in a disciplinary, and the company can’t really demand to go through the driver’s call history. The reply was something like this “yeah, I see what you’re saying, but trust me, they protect the drivers”.
No. They don’t. Not having an inward-facing camera protects driver’s a lot more, as much less can be proven one way or the other.