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With cash-for-crash scheme convictions taking place all over the country, fleet operators should be taking steps to combat the crooks.
In one of the most prominent cases, three men who deliberately caused a car crash that led to another collision in which a woman died were sentenced to 10 years each. It was the first time that somebody had been killed as a result of a cash-for-crash scam.
The fraudsters had been planning to make a personal injury claim in connection with a staged crash on the A40 in Buckinghamshire.
In a separate incident in the Northwest, a man who fraudulently claimed thousands of pounds using methods like staging car crashes has been jailed for two years.
He made around £80,000 of claims over a two-year period involving car accidents, household insurance and benefit fraud.
Police have advised that some crooks are even filling buses with stooges before ramming them with cars for the whiplash payouts. The fake passengers can make bogus claims from unsuspecting insurance companies in the scam.
Sgt James Upton, from the Thames Valley Police road death investigation team, said: “The cash-for-crash culture has become more prevalent in our society, but this is the first known fatality as a result of an induced crash.”
The threat fleet operators face from fraudsters willing to risk the lives of others for financial gain is very real, and can be seen everywhere.
Serious consequences
Fleets that fall victim to a scam face higher premiums, costly repairs and vehicle downtime, as well as the trauma of dealing with an accident that could have serious consequences for its driver.
Without footage, it’s very difficult to prove whose fault a crash was.
Luckily, there is solution – the aptly named ‘CrashCAM™’ from vehicle safety specialist Vision Techniques.
CrashCAM
Created specifically to combat the Cash-For-Crash phenomenon, CrashCAM™ is an easy and affordable solution, which completely eradicates any possibility of false claims.
It’s your very own, electronic eyewitness account of accidents – you’ll have conclusive evidence that it wasn’t your fault.
As well as a forward-facing camera, CrashCAM™ can have a second camera, used inside the vehicle, for monitoring passengers or cargo, or placed outside the vehicle on the nearside blind spot, where many accidents occur.
If fleet operators have one fitted, insurance companies may even offer a discount. CrashCAM™ records on a loop on an SD card, but will save data if triggered by a G-force event, such as a collision.