News

Liveried trucks are increasingly being targeted by criminal gangs who stage crashes to defraud insurance companies. Gang members either purchase and insure low-value vehicles, or use hired vehicles, and then force lorries to crash into them. By 'inducing' an innocent driver to collide with them, the fraudsters can rely on an almost automatic acceptance of insurance liability. Multiple fictitious claims are subsequently submitted for the driver and often fictitious passengers. According to insurers,  the average insurance bill per induced collision is £25,000 to £30,000.

Dr Will Murray, research director at road safety management consultancy Interactive Driving Systems, tells MT: "Drivers and operators need to be aware that this is a genuine problem and should take steps to protect themselves. "Drivers need to be diligent and report every collision they have. "They should always get witness details and take pictures at the scene, and never admit liability, while operators need to investigate all reported collisions in detail."

The most common sites used to stage accidents are roundabouts, while the most common method of inducing crashes involves fraudsters disconnecting their brake lights and then braking sharply in front of a lorry. According to Murray, the problem has been growing over the past few years, but insurers are now more aware of it and finding ways to tackle it. Builders' merchant Wolseley, which runs 6,000 vehicles, was made aware that it was being  targeted after its insurer Zurich flagged up 18 months ago that an increasing number of its claims were falling into the 'induced slam-ons' category.

Harnam Nijjar, health and safety policy and programme adviser at Wolseley UK, says: "We now work very closely with Zurich every quarter to review our collisions data and we send out newsletters to our drivers to tell them how to spot these gangs and also what to do if they are involved in a staged collision." The tactics appear to be working as Nijjar claims the number of fraudulent claims Wolseley receives is now falling.

Insurers' tips for drivers involved in an induced collision:

• Never admit liability at the scene.
• Call the police from the scene and report the collision. Invite the other driver to remain with you until the police arrive.
• Be vigilant at the scene count the number of occupants in the other vehicle.
• Take photographs if you are able to without risk of confrontation.
• Record details of the location and extent of damage to the other vehicle in detail.
• Write the fullest possible account of the incident and all related details, as soon as possible after the collision.