Below is a video report, produced by Channel 6 WDSU News, on the latest trends in staged collisions in Louisiana. One of the most common types of staged collisions, the "swoop and squat" maneuver, has a new twist now that Louisiana has outlawed texting while driving. Criminals are targeting drivers who are visibly texting because their culpability in the crash will not be questioned, and the scam will stir fewer suspicions.

In a typical “swoop and squat” scam, three drivers in three separate cars work as a team on a multi-lane roadway. Two of the cars pass and pull just ahead of the victim’s car. The third car pulls alongside the victim in the adjacent lane. The driver of the lead car slows down, and then the driver of the second car slams on his brakes. As a result, the victim rear-ends the second car, which is filled with passengers. The car alongside the victim ensures there’s no path to avert the collision. The driver of the lead car continues on, leaving the scene. The driver and passengers in the second car fake injuries and file false insurance claims, working in concert with shady medical clinics. Sometimes the scam is executed using just two cars.