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Take action on crime

11th October 2012
Page 2
Page 2, 11th October 2012 — Take action on crime
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

At Commercial Motor Live I was lucky enough to hear Towergate MD Larry Smith talking about the crash-for-cash phenomenon. I knew it was a problem, but had no idea how much of an epidemic it had become. Last year there were 208,648 road traffic accidents in the UK, resulting in no less than 571,111 whiplash claims. That’s 2.7 injured people for every accident. Are alarm bells ringing?

An estimated 30,000 accidents were staged in 2010, and with the average crash netting criminals £17,000, it’s easy to see why it’s costing insurance companies millions. Well actually it’s costing you and I millions, because crash-for-cash scams add £50 to every motoring policy.

One bloke staged 92 accidents on one roundabout alone, with claims totalling £12m, before he was caught. And it was only when nearby workers spotted the same guy rubbing his neck after each collision that the police were informed. But you’ll be pleased to hear that insurance firms are getting their acts together. They’ve cottoned on to what’s going on and have spotted 45,000 bogus claims, resulting in 543 arrests.

Smith said it is possible to beat fraudsters with a simple forward-facing camera. They cost about £200, and some insurance providers will supply them at a subsidised rate or even free. If you want proof of how effective they can be, check out this video of a crash-for-cash scam unfolding at http://alturl. com/wkxx3. It’s frightening stuff.

If I ran a fleet of trucks I’d definitely consider fitting cameras. In fact, after leaving the Towergate seminar I went straight to Vision Techniques’ stand and ordered one for my car. I’ll let you know how I get on with it. Will Shiers


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