Commercial Drivers Targeted by Criminals in Staged Crashes

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) warns of criminals who target innocent drivers through staged crashes in an attempt to defraud insurance companies of millions of dollars. Drivers of commercial vehicles are at an increased risk of being targeted because their vehicles are usually well insured. These crashes can have severe impacts on drivers in the form of increased insurance premiums, canceled insurance policies, and time off work to settle claims, repair vehicles or recover from injuries. These crashes may even be fatal.

Criminals who stage crashes often have elaborate plans in place. They may pay people to act as witnesses to the accident who will support their accounts, unethical attorneys may represent them, and medical providers could be in on the scheme to exaggerate or make up injuries to increase medical bills.

According to the NICB, drivers should be on the lookout for the following tactics to avoid being victimized:

Swoop and Squat
On city streets, a swoop and squat usually involves three vehicles; two driven by criminals and the other by the victim. Criminals position the squat car in front of the victim’s vehicle so the swoop vehicle can then pull ahead of the squat vehicle, cutting it off. The driver of the squat vehicle then has to brake quickly, not leaving the victim enough time to react, forcing a rear-end collision. The swoop vehicle races off, leaving the victim to cover vehicle damage and personal injury claims filed by the driver of the squat vehicle. On the freeway, a fourth vehicle is typically involved to box the innocent driver into a lane to prevent that driver from changing lanes when the squat vehicle brakes.

Side Swipe
At busy intersections with dual left turn lanes, criminals will position their vehicles in the outer turn lane. If a driver in an inside turn lane unknowingly drifts into the outer lane, the criminal side swipes the vehicle. Criminals usually conduct advance surveillance to identify heavily traveled intersections where vehicles from the inner turn lane frequently drift across lane divider lines.

Panic Stop
Criminals position their cars in front of the vehicle of their intended victim. Typically backseat passengers will observe the victim and warn the criminal driver when the victim is distracted. Criminals conducting panic stops may even damage their brake light bulbs ahead of time to ensure the victim has no warning. The criminal driver then slams on the brakes, causing a rear-end collision.

Drive Down
At four-way stop signs, T-intersections, merge and yield signs, lane closures, freeway ramps, parking lots, and other locations where vehicles have to merge or cross paths with other vehicles, a criminal driver will motion to an innocent driver to proceed. When the innocent driver begins to go, the criminal will speed up, causing a collision. After the incident, the criminal will deny motioning the victim to merge.

By informing your drivers of staged crash fraud schemes, you can help them avoid these situations and prevent your company from being victimized. Most of these schemes can be avoided if your drivers always leave plenty of room between their vehicles and those in front of them. Emphasize to your drivers the hazards that can occur if they tailgate.

If your drivers are involved in a crash, they should immediately call 911 to report the collision. Even if the damage is minimal, it is necessary to file a police report. Make sure all of your drivers also carry a camera with them, either on their phone or a disposable camera, so they can document accident damage and the number of passengers in the other vehicle. Warn your drivers to avoid people who randomly appear at the accident scene, including tow trucks who have not been summoned or those directing them to doctors or attorneys, as these individuals could be part of the scheme.

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