Oldham’s ‘crash for cash’ shame

Oldham is the tenth-worst place in the country for “crash for cash” scams, according to insurers Aviva.

Birmingham topped the list with Coventry, Leeds, Bradford, Luton, Harrow and parts of London also joining Oldham in the top 10.

The company recorded 3,000 staged accidents in which fraudsters deliberately targeted innocent motorists to claim compensation.

Tom Gardiner, head of fraud at Aviva, said: “Induced accidents remain a serious concern for all road users. But our figures show we are getting better at detecting, declining and prosecuting these claims. Urgent reform is needed to remove the root cause – which is easy access to compensation and profits.”

Aviva advises motorists to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front, to be wary of erratic driving by others on roundabouts and slip roads, and to look out for faulty brake lights on other vehicles.