A new bill, H.R. 2622, introduced earlier this month by Representatives Mike Collins (GA-10) and Brandon Gill (TX-26), could make staging an accident a federal crime.

The bill seeks to amend title 49 of the U.S. Code to make staged accidents illegal and to enforce strict penalties on those who participate in these crimes. The bill would impose a fine and the possibility of imprisonment for up to 20 years. If bodily injury or death results from a staged accident, there could be an additional fine and jail time.

The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act specifically targets accidents involving commercial trucks, since those can lead to costly frivolous lawsuits. Damages often exceed seven figures and endanger other vehicles, drive up the costs of insurance, and can end small business operations.

The bill establishes clear, enforceable criminal penalties for those who stage collisions, including the attorneys, physicians and other co-conspirators who knowingly participate in this fraud, the authors of the bill noted.

“Criminal elements are launching an assault against America’s truckers, in the courtroom and on our roads. Staged accidents take advantage of truckers’ high insurance coverage and make them prime targets for criminals looking for a quick payday, saddling truckers with millions of dollars in inflated damages, increasing insurance premiums for all Americans, and driving up the costs for every transported good,” said Rep. Collins. “The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act will hold these fraudsters and their co-conspirators accountable and stop the ‘nuclear verdicts’ that are bankrupting truckers across the country.”

Texas is a critical freight corridor for the entire U.S. economy, said Rep. Gill, co-author of the bill.

“By establishing clear, enforceable criminal penalties that apply to all of the conspirators involved in staged collisions, we can finally put an end to this dangerous and costly practice,” said American Trucking Associations Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs Henry Hanscom.

“Staged accidents are not victimless crimes. These are calculated, premeditated assaults that endanger lives, destroy livelihoods, and compromise highway safety. To add insult to injury, criminals abuse the legal system for profit through false accusations and lawsuits, which contribute to skyrocketing insurance premiums for small trucking businesses,” said Lewie Pugh, executive vice president, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

The bill is supported by The American Trucking Associations, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Truckload Carriers Association, Georgia Motor Trucking Association, Texas Trucking Association, National Tank Truck Carriers and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.