Staged Car Accidents

The aftermath of a car accident can be overwhelming. Whether the accident was your fault or another’s, a collision can be disorienting for everyone involved. In most cases, drivers and passengers alike will question their role in the collision, often pondering what caused the accident in the first place.

While most accidents are due to speeding, distracted driving, or reckless driving, there can be a more sinister cause: the “accident” happened on purpose. Unfortunately, American roads have been plagued with a scheme that purposely causes car collisions in order to collect money from insurance companies.

What is a Staged Car Accident?

A staged car accident is when a driver purposely creates or causes an automobile accident in order to make false insurance claims. Oftentimes, the amount of damage caused is significantly less than what the driver requests to be reimbursed by the insurance company. 

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), fraudulent automobile accidents occur more frequently in urban areas where there is a greater number of vehicles. Criminals often target new, rental, or commercial vehicles as these types of vehicles have a great propensity of being well-insured. Women and senior citizens tend to be ideal targets in these schemes as they tend to be less confrontational. 

How Can You Protect Yourself From a Staged Car Accident?

More often than not, car accidents are preventable. By being aware of your surroundings and paying attention to the road most car collisions can be avoided. In a situation where someone purposely causes a car collision, it is best to immediately seek legal help.

“When you have been injured in a rollover car accident, rear-end, side-collision, head on, drunk driving accident, or any other form of a car accident, hiring a car wreck attorney can be invaluable,” note the car accident experts at Bonilla Injury Law, “consulting with an experienced attorney regarding car accident cases and legal options helps make a well-informed decision on how to move forward and the best pathway to do so.” 

After the accident, immediately seek medical attention. Then speak with a qualified attorney to explore your options for compensation and protect your rights from scam artists. 

Common Types of Staged Car Accidents

Most staged car accidents involve the criminal drivers driving in a way that causes an unsuspecting driver to cause the accident. Staged car accidents have been going on for decades, which helps identify some of the common varieties of the scam. Some of the typical stage car accident schemes include:

The Swoop and Squat

The Swoop and Squat staged accident involves two or more vehicles working together to frame another driver for a collision. In this type of accident, an unsuspecting driver will be driving when the “squatter” will pull in front. A few moments later, another car, the “swooper”, will cut off the squatter, “forcing” them to slam on their brakes. 

In this scheme, the goal is to get the unsuspecting driver to rear-end the squatter. Usually at this point, the swooper will drive away without any type of damage, leaving the unsuspecting driver with liability for the collision. 

The Panic Stop

Similar to the Swoop and Squat scheme, the Panic Stop will have a vehicle traveling in front of an unsuspecting driver, watching his or her every move. When the unsuspecting driver takes his or her eye off of the road, the vehicle in front will slam on his or her brakes to cause a rear-end collision. 

The Start and Stop

Typically the Start and Stop scheme is orchestrated in heavy traffic. The vehicle in front of the unsuspecting driver will start to accelerate then will quickly slam on his or her breaks, causing the unsuspecting driver to crash into the back of the perpetrating driver.

The Wave-In

Perhaps one of the most sinister staged accidents, the Wave-In has the perpetrating driver wave to an unsuspecting driver to allow them to merge, then deliberately hits his or her car. The Wave-In most commonly happens in parking lots or in merging situations. Ultimately, the criminal driver will say they never waved the unsuspecting driver in, thus saying the unsuspecting driver was careless.

Why Would Someone Stage a Car Accident?

There are a myriad of reasons why a criminal would want to stage a car accident. The most common reason is to ultimately gain money by defrauding insurance companies and unsuspecting drivers. 

If you or a loved one believes he or she is the victim in a staged car accident, immediately seek legal help. A lawyer can help prove your innocence and hold criminals responsible for their nefarious acts that caused the collision.