Don’t Become a Victim: Recognizing and Avoiding Staged Auto Accidents

There’s a dangerous scam going around these days, and it can put you at risk physically… not to mention financially. It’s called a “staged crash,” and it can involve criminals who either steal a car and use it to hit your vehicle… or who purposefully crash their own jalopies into your car and then claim you were at fault in an effort to collect money from you and your insurance company. As a matter of fact, there are so many of these types of incidents taking place across Michigan that several common tactics have even been given descriptive nicknames to explain what happens. Here are examples of a few of the most frequent “staged crash” scams we’ve been hearing about regularly:

• The “Drive Down” crash, where the “friendly” scammer waves their hand to tell you it’s okay to merge into traffic in front of their car, but then intentionally steps on the gas to crash into the side of your vehicle, claiming you cut them off.
  
• The “Swoop and Squat” scam, where the miscreant driver cuts you off in traffic then quickly steps on the brakes to force you into a rear-end collision. (And, as you know, that can make it seem you didn’t have control of your car since by Michigan law the driver at the back of a rear-end crash is almost always held liable for the accident.)
• The “Sideswipe Surprise,” which happens especially often in intersections where multiple lanes are turning in the same direction together. In this type of scam, the other driver claims you didn’t stay in your lane and sideswiped their car as a result of your recklessness.
  
• The emergency “Panic Stop” scenario, where the other driver says they had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting an imaginary animal or some other phantom obstacle, forcing you into a rear-end crash that makes it seem as if you were irresponsibly tailgating their car.

We won’t even attempt to describe the many other types of nefarious “staged crash” schemes being put into motion on Michigan motorways nearly every day – and nearly everywhere – across the state, because we don’t want to give the scammers any more ideas, but we think you probably get the picture. (Of course, if you’d like to see some scary real-life videos of these types of incidents with your own eyes, you can check out this dramatic ABC news story highlighting their heinous practices. But be aware that it contains some frightening scenes that could be triggering for some people – especially anyone who’s been victimized in a staged crash!)

What happens to innocent people

who become victimized by staged crashes?

Once the criminals have you on the hook by making it seem like you’re responsible for their losses and injuries (which are also frequently faked, too!), they can take advantage of the situation and attempt to milk you and/or your insurance company for substantial payments such as reimbursement for lost wages, trumped-up medical bills, exaggerated charges at sketchy body shops, and more. The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services estimates that billions (yes, billions with a B!) of dollars are lost to this kind of scam every year. And guess who’s paying for it: all of us.

That’s because staged-crash scams and other types of auto insurance fraud can ultimately result in higher insurance premiums for you… and for every other innocent Michigan driver… since insurers typically spread their risk (and therefore their rate increases) across all policyholders. That might be one reason why Michigan motorists pay some of the highest car insurance premiums of drivers anywhere in America. 

How can you avoid getting scammed in a staged crash?

Here are several suggestions that might help you avoid becoming the victim of a staged crash and could also protect you from being scammed at the same time. Take a few moments to consider these ideas which we hope you’ll never have to use… but that you might be glad to know if you ever fall prey to these wily scammers.

• An important first step is to be sure you have uninsured motorist coverage in your auto insurance policy. That’s crucial, since even though Michigan requires motorists to carry no-fault insurance, we’re listed among the top five states with the most uninsured drivers in America. In fact, ValuePenguin estimates that more than one out of every four Michigan drivers (a shocking 25.5 percent!) have no car insurance coverage at all.
• A second way to protect yourself is to invest in a dashcam which can sometimes be used to help prove your innocence by filming what happened when the scammer was in front of your car. This video footage can be particularly helpful in “swoop and squat” and “sideswipe” crashes where clear images of what took place can make the difference between you being found fully at fault… or being completely exonerated from any blame.
• Another possibility is to sign up for an insurance policy that allows the insurer to monitor your driving habits with a system called “telematics” that can be used to verify your vehicle’s speed, your typical braking behavior, and your precise location data. Insurance companies claim these types of policies can save drivers money, however if you agree to be monitored you should also be aware that you’re giving up some privacy, and if you’re proven to be an unsafe driver (for example, the system shows you consistently exceed the speed limit or frequently stomp on the brakes) you might actually see your rates rise, as you can read in this helpful article from Consumer Reports.
• In addition, some law enforcement agencies also have technology that permits them to look into the data stored in your vehicle’s “black box” which can sometimes provide helpful evidence that could be used to determine who really caused a crash to take place. That’s just one reason why you should always call the police if you’re ever involved in any kind of collision. Not only will the official police report contain helpful information that can be used for reference in subsequent legal actions, law enforcement officers can also help protect you in the event of road rage incidents (like this recent tragic shooting in Dearborn) or offer assistance in other situations where injuries have taken place. At the same time, officers can safeguard you from being threatened by criminals who might attempt to intimidate you into paying them for damages to their vehicle on the spot, which can happen when the scammer is driving a stolen car or one that’s uninsured.

There’s one more thing you need to know in situations like this

Finally, of course, it’s important for you to know that the dedicated personal injury attorneys at Mike Morse Law Firm are quite familiar with all of these types of incidents and how to best deal with them. So don’t hesitate to get us involved if you’re ever hurt in any kind of crash through no fault of your own. To reach us anytime day or night, just call 855-MIKE-WINS (855-645-3946) or contact us online. We’ll be happy to help you out of a jam or maybe even a staged-crash scam!