FHP Cracks Down On Staged Car Crashes

Our Dade County car accident injury lawyers understand that having a car or truck accident is often a very stressful and emotional event. Things happen very quickly and we recommend that you accurately record and document as much as you can in order to protect your legal rights.

Car accidents can be very serious, often with life changing consequences. Sadly for some, they are a way to make easy money. Staged car crashes are not only dangerous but they can impact the insurance policies paid by everyone. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 5 of the worse cities in the country for fake car crashes are right here in Florida. According to National Insurance Crime Bureau South Florida was once the focal point for most deliberate car and truck crashes. Specifically, Miami and Hialeah had the most fraudulent activity. Now the epicenter of staged Florida car crashes is expanding northward to Tampa and Orlando. In 2011 there were 255 suspicious claims in Miami, 195 in Tampa and 178 in Orlando.

The FHP has identified a number of common fake car crash schemes. The most common involves someone suddenly slamming on their brakes to force a rear-end collision. As a Miami-Dade rear-end truck crash lawyer I urge you to report any suspicious accident to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. And always call 911 if you are in an accident in order to document damage and passenger the other vehicle.

In order to protect yourself from a staged accident, you should take the following pictures with your cellphone and email them immediately to a friend:

1. Scene.

2. Vehicle damage of all involved vehicles.

3. License plates of all involved vehicles.

4. Drivers, passengers and witnesses.

5. Driver’s identification and insurance cards.

Be careful if a tow truck driver arrives at the scene unsolicited. Always ask the tow truck driver to provide his company identification and provide the cost of transporting and storing your vehicle in advance. If the driver becomes agitated, contact 911 or your insurance company for further assistance.