This Act establishes a new federal crime and penalties for intentionally staging motor vehicle collisions involving commercial motor vehicles.
Mike Collins
Representative
GA-10
The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act of 2025 establishes a new federal crime targeting individuals who intentionally stage motor vehicle collisions involving commercial motor vehicles. This act sets significant penalties, including up to 20 years in prison for staging an accident, with mandatory minimum sentences for crashes resulting in serious injury or death. The legislation also includes provisions to prevent federal prosecution if the individual has already been tried in a state or local jurisdiction for the same incident.
New Federal Law Targets Truck Crash Fraud: Up to 20 Years for Staging Accidents with Commercial Vehicles
The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act of 2025 is short, punchy, and zeroes in on one specific crime: faking a car crash with a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), which is policy-speak for a big rig, delivery truck, or bus. The bill creates a brand new federal crime under Chapter 805 of Title 49, aimed squarely at deterring dangerous insurance fraud schemes that often target the trucking industry.
The New Federal Hammer
What this bill does is make intentionally causing a crash with a CMV, or even conspiring to set one up, a federal felony. This is a big deal because it brings the weight of federal law enforcement and much steeper penalties to a crime previously handled primarily at the state level. If you are caught intentionally causing one of these collisions—often called 'swoop and squat' or 'sudden stop' schemes—you could face a fine and up to 20 years in federal prison (SEC. 2).
This is aimed at protecting everyone on the road, not just the trucking companies. These staged accidents are not harmless scams; they are dangerous maneuvers that put regular commuters at risk. When someone intentionally causes a crash with an 80,000-pound truck, the potential for catastrophic injury is huge. The bill recognizes this danger by establishing severe penalties.
The Mandatory Minimum Problem
The consequences escalate dramatically if the staged crash results in serious bodily injury or death. In that scenario, the bill mandates a minimum of 20 years in prison, with the possibility of more time (SEC. 2). This is where the policy gets heavy: a mandatory minimum of two decades is a serious sentence, even for a dangerous crime. While the intent is clearly to deter deadly fraud, mandatory minimums always raise concerns about judicial discretion and whether the punishment fits the crime in every single instance.
What This Means for the Rest of Us
For the average person driving to work or running a small business, this bill has two main takeaways. First, it’s a clear signal that law enforcement is taking dangerous insurance fraud seriously. These fraud schemes drive up insurance costs for everyone—trucking companies, independent drivers, and ultimately, consumers who pay higher prices for goods. By cracking down on this, the bill aims to reduce the financial strain caused by these costly scams. Second, the bill includes a crucial protection against double jeopardy. If a state, like Florida or California, has already tried and convicted or acquitted someone for the exact same staged accident, the federal government cannot come in and try them again (SEC. 2). This prevents the government from getting two bites at the apple, which is an important constitutional safeguard for anyone accused of a crime.