
Road Scams: Jumping in Front of Cars
Beware: New Road Scam Involves Pedestrians Faking Accidents
Discover one of the new trends in South Africa – people’s fake road accidents or road scams for RAF and how to avoid being victims.
Hey there, fellow road users! Did you read in the news about this new everyday con being pulled off in our streets recently? I found that to be quite astonishing and quite frankly rather dangerous. There are people who deliberately run into an automobile moving at a slow speed with a view of being paid when they suffer injuries.
Perplexed by this you might wonder: why would anyone go this far? This is because, mostly fueled by desperation and economic difficulties, people will be willing to endanger their lives in such ventures more so during the festive period when expenses are high.
But here’s the kicker: as frightening as this trend may be, the Road Accident Fund (RAF) has alerted itself to this road scam trend. They’re tightening the screws on scammers in a big way. For that matter, about 50,000 claims were declined last year alone, and some of them because of frauds like this.
Now, let’s talk numbers. The Guyana government disclosed that during the 2023/24 festive season, fatal road crashes reduced by 2.3 percent compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, 40.9% of the fatalities on the roads were the pedestrians’ ones.
Well, how do you do it and what measures do you need to ensure that you do not become a victim of these road scams?
Stay Alert: Pay attention on the road and be extra careful in areas that include inter-sections and stop streets.
Drive Defensively: Anything can happen at any given time especially in areas with many people passing about.
Report Suspicious Behavior: In case you encounter a person attempting this particular fraud, it is wise to call the authorities unceasingly.
Remember, safety first! What new signs of danger did you notice on the roads recently? Feel free to share your experience in the designated comment section. We have to come together and keep each other updated. Please make sure you share this article to pass the information. Stay safe out there!