WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) introduced the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act today to combat the growing number of illegal staged auto accidents. Senator Moody’s bill is the companion to H.R. 2662, sponsored by Representatives Mike Collins (GA-10) and Brandon Gill (TX-26). The legislation would restore fairness to the legal system, protect businesses and consumers, and help stop this hazardous crime.  

“Staged accidents are a dangerous and costly crisis that is threatening public safety and household budgets across America. Senator Moody’s leadership on the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act builds on the momentum to put a stop to these organized crime rings that specifically target trucking businesses,” said Stephen Waguespack, President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform. 

These schemes reveal a playbook used nationwide by organized fraud rings: stage the crash, fabricate injuries, team up with willing billboard lawyers, medical accomplices, and litigation funders, and then exploit loopholes in the legal system to turn a profit.  

In May, five suspects were arrested in Florida following an alleged staged crash scheme, and the state recorded over 1,000 of these accidents in 2024. 

The staged accidents not only endanger innocent drivers but also raise costs for consumers and businesses. For trucking businesses, staged collisions have a major impact on their bottom line. In 2022 alone, litigation expenses across the automobile sector cost the U.S. economy $58 billion, according to a report released by the Institute for Legal Reform — dollars that could have created new jobs, strengthened supply chains, or eased inflationary pressures.   

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About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform   

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) is the country’s most influential and successful advocate for civil justice reform, both in the U.S. and abroad.

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