Nevada drivers need to be on the lookout for criminals that targeting trucks in a deliberate attempt to cause an accident, with the sole purpose of collecting insurance money, warns the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
To date, there have been at least 100 suspected staged accidents around the Las Vegas area in the past 12-18 months. An estimated 25 of those accidents were big rigs. The NICB is working with other agencies to track down the organizers of this crime.
The agency’s main concern is the potential to lead to a deadly accident. According to a trooper with Nevada Highway Patrol, some of the people being recruited to ride in the vehicle that pulls in front of the truck and slams on its brakes to cause the accident, are not aware of what is happening.
“Trucks are perceived as valuable targets because they tend to carry high levels of insurance,” says Paul Enos of the Nevada Trucking Association. “The people behind these staged accidents are criminals, preying on trucking companies and endangering our drivers and the public,” said Enos.
To increase awareness of this issue, NICB has produced public service announcements in English and Spanish for local TV and radio stations.
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