Fraudulently induced motor accidents

The number of induced accidents, where fraudsters deliberately target innocent motorists to cause accidents in order to claim whiplash compensation is ever increasing.

“Crash for cash” doesn’t just push up premiums, it puts innocent motorists at risk from serious injury.   Fraudsters are deliberately slamming on their brakes, particularly at entrances to roundabouts, in front of innocent drivers, causing them to hit the fraudster’s vehicles in the rear.

There are a few indicators that can alert drivers to these fraudsters;

• Strange driving behaviour prior to incident – fraudsters will drive at inconsistent speeds in order to close the gap between them and the victim. They may overtake and then cut in front of the victim’s vehicle before braking suddenly. At entrances to roundabouts, they may stop and start many times despite no traffic being on the roundabout.
• 2 vehicles appearing to be driving in tandem – fraudsters often use 2 vehicles to induce collisions.
• Fraudsters will often behave oddly at the scene – including claiming to have neck pain instantly, or blaming their actions on vehicles/hazards that don’t exist.
• Has the third party got a document with his details already recorded? Often fraudsters set out with a ‘crib sheet’ of their information ready to give to their victim at the scene of the collision.
• Be wary for brake lights, these will often be removed before the accident to increase the chances that they are hit in the rear.
• Trust your instincts – does something seem wrong?

What should you do at the scene?

• Make a conscious effort to remember details of occupants such as age, appearance and their position in the vehicles.
• Call the Police as soon as possible, particularly if they’re feeling threatened
• Take photos of the damage to their vehicle and the third party vehicle.
• Ensure any documentation provided by the third party is retained.

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Information provided by Aviva