Buffalo, NY (WBEN) The New York DMV says there's an increase in a scam involving staging car accidents. It's called crash for cash, and it's putting a dent into everyone's pocketbooks.
Walt McClure at the DMV says there has been an increase in these instances being reported around New York State in the last year. "Obviously you don't know what another driver is going to do, but we felt it was important just to make people aware that with that we're seeing this happening, and just for them to be aware, to really think about their defensive driving skills. Because obviously that is the best way to kind of keep you from from getting into something like this," says McClure. He also recommends taking a defensive driving class, which can also reduce your insurance rates.
McClure says it's hard to say when you might be the victim of such a scam. He says it could be when it's time to make the insurance claim. "That's one of the biggest issues that people are going to see because of people who commit fraud for whatever reason, it affects those of us who are doing The right thing on the road and finding that our insurance premiums might go up," note s McClure.
That's what Dave Kirst at AAA is seeing. "Over the last two years, it's gone up about 35% this year, we're about 14% over last year, but the year before that also had a significant increase," says Kirst. He adds there's been a 10 percent increase in insurance payouts. That's causing everybody to end up paying out more in insurance premiums.
Kirst says you can do everything right, but still be a victim. "You can maintain that safe distance. You can go slow around other vehicles. But at the end of the day, if someone's looking to crash into your car and cause an accident, they probably will," notes Kirst.
Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns says he's been getting complaints about insurance premiums going up, and worse. "I'm getting complaints from people who are being dropped by insurance companies because of so many claims," says Kearns. "They have a impact on our insurance claims. They have an impact on damages."
Kearns says scammers usually work in teams. "Someone stops the vehicle in front, someone slams their brakes on, and then the other car is rear ended, and that's where that occurs," notes Kearns.
If you are in a crash, DMV recommends you:
Call the police and your insurance company.
Take photos of the damage to both cars.
Get the other driver’s plate number and insurance information.
Record the contact information of anyone in the other car.
Don't give cash to the other driver.
Be wary of tow trucks that you or law enforcement did not call.
Be wary of anyone who suddenly appears at a crash scene to direct you to specific doctors or lawyers.
File a crash report with the DMV.