This bill establishes federal penalties for intentionally staging motor vehicle collisions with commercial vehicles, including increased penalties for incidents resulting in serious injury or death.
Mike Collins
Representative
GA-10
The "Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act of 2025" establishes federal penalties for intentionally staging motor vehicle collisions with commercial vehicles. Those found guilty of staging accidents could face fines and up to 20 years in prison, with increased penalties for incidents resulting in serious injury or death. The Act ensures that individuals are not prosecuted under this federal law if they have already been tried for the same actions under state or local laws.
Staged Truck Crashes Could Land You 20+ Years in Federal Prison Under New Bill
A new bill, the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act of 2025, is taking aim at crash-for-cash schemes involving large commercial trucks. It proposes creating a specific federal crime for anyone caught intentionally causing or arranging a collision with vehicles like semi-trucks or buses. The goal is clear: deter fraud that targets the trucking industry and potentially impacts insurance costs for everyone.
Cracking Down on Crash-for-Cash Schemes
This legislation adds a new section (80505) to federal transportation law (Title 49, United States Code). Essentially, if you deliberately cause an accident with a commercial motor vehicle – think big rigs, delivery trucks, buses as defined elsewhere in the code – or pay someone else to do it, you could face federal charges under this proposed law.
The Price Tag: Steep Fines and Serious Time
And the proposed penalties aren't minor. According to Section 2 of the bill, conviction could mean hefty fines (as outlined in Title 18 of the US Code, which covers federal crimes and procedures) and up to 20 years behind bars. If the staged collision results in 'serious bodily injury' or death to someone else, the stakes get even higher: a minimum of 20 years in prison, plus potential fines.
Real-World Speed Bumps: Fairness and Overlap
While cracking down on fraud sounds straightforward, the real world gets complicated. Proving someone intentionally staged an accident, rather than just being involved in a regular collision, can be difficult. This raises concerns about potential wrongful accusations – imagine a complex accident scene where intent is hard to determine based solely on the aftermath. Could someone face severe federal charges and significant economic burden from fines based on ambiguous evidence? The significant penalties, especially the mandatory minimums for accidents involving injury, also raise questions about proportionality and potential disproportionate impacts on individuals who might be wrongly accused or face challenges proving lack of intent. The bill also brings federal law into an area often handled by states. While it includes a clause in Section 2 preventing federal prosecution if someone's already been convicted or acquitted under state law for the same act, navigating the practical overlap between state and federal jurisdictions could still present challenges.