Education and Communication
How to Prevent Car Robbery/Hijacking
There have been an increase in car robbery and hijacking over the last few years. According to Statistics revealed by Defense Zone in 2020, over 860,000 cars were stolen in America, in Germany, about 30,000 cars were stolen and in Italy, it’s up to 150,000 cars. Since then, there has been a 9.2 percent increase in vehicle theft all over the globe. Crazy but true!
A lot of people don’t take preventive measures for car theft because they hardly think they’ll fall victim but car hijackers only look out for security loopholes. In this article, we are going to be sharing tips on how to survive a car robbery or hijacking, we never know when these tips will come in handy.
Tips on How to survive a car robbery or Hijacking!
Carjacking usually occurs when the driver is in motion and everything can happen in less than 120 seconds.
Thanks to technology, parked cars are even at lesser risk of robbery than moving cars. With the latest sophistication in the security of cars, the hot-wiring technique has taken the back seat. This has led to an increase in carjacking.
Thieves find it easier to steal the car when the engine is running. Your most vulnerable moment is when you unlock your car, open it and try to get into the driver’s seat. Here’s how to avoid and survive it.
-
Pay attention to your surroundings!
Before you open up your car, look around you and try to notice if there are strange faces or movements. Walk with confidence to your car but don’t let your guard down! Once you’re in, the first thing you should do is hit the central lock button.
This also holds if you’re buying gas at a gas station or waiting for a traffic light to turn green. Yes, the jam is your favorite and if you don’t close your eyes, you don’t enjoy listening to it. But, for the safety of your car, open your eyes and look around you!
-
Drive away as soon as you enter the car
Instagram, TikTok, that phone call, and that Facebook post you forgot to like can wait. Drive away as soon as you hit your central lock especially if you’re alone. Because carjackers tend to target drivers who are alone and distracted in the car.
-
Leave some space between your car and the one in front of you
We all learn this simple rule in driving school but somehow, we tend to ignore it. If you’re faced with a carjacking situation, you’ll be able to drive off almost smoothly without putting other cars at risk.
-
Let Go
Not exactly what you would like to hear but letting go might just be the best option sometimes for your own safety. No car is worth your life! So, once you have been overpowered by the hijacker, please let the car go. They may be carrying weapons like guns or a jack knife so treat them as dangerous.
-
Let them know you have a child if you do
If you have a kid in the vehicle, scream about it at the top of your voice and try to open the door and pull your child out. Children are a liability for car jackers so they more than likely will slow down for you to pull the child out.
-
If you find a dollar note on your vehicle, leave it!
This is a tactic used by many car hijackers. They leave a dollar bill on your windscreen and when you go to pick it up, they hijack your vehicle. If you find a dollar bill on your car windscreen, do not get distracted by it. Drive to a safe area and park before you take it out. It’s your win!
These tips will help you take charge of the situation if you ever are involved in a carjacking situation. Stay alert and woke!
