In the past few years, there have been an increase in armed attacks on people in and around motor vehicles. Carjacking is a crime in which one or more attackers use a weapon to attempt to seize the driver from their vehicle. According to the Department of Justice carjacking victimization rates are highest in urban and suburban areas. Weapons are used in 74% of carjacking incidents, with guns being used 45% of the time and knives being used in 11% of reported incidents. Although most people feel safe in their steel cocoons it is not always the case. Driver’s Ed does not teach new drivers how survive a carjacking. We have to make sure our safety is our responsibility. RELATED STORY How To Choose a Gun For Self-Defense I was able to attend a three day Intensive Handgun Skills Program presented by the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors. This program provides intensive training and lessons on how you can survive a carjacking. This segment was the most provocative, as it took up a whole day to teach vehicle defense. These lessons were intended for law enforcement officers but many of the information could be useful to citizens who are concerned about their safety and how to survive a carjacking. 5 Tips to Survive a Carjacking Tip 1: Avoid Being Carjacked in the First Place. While we cannot eliminate the possibility of being attacked while driving a motor vehicle, there are ways we can reduce the risk. Responsible citizens don’t have to put their lives in danger, unlike law enforcement officers. Understanding how to survive a carjacking is part of the solution. Be aware of anyone following you as you walk to your car in a garage or lot. Avoid high-crime areas, especially at intersections. Always keep an escape route open. If someone approaches your vehicle, you can always get out without confrontation. You should be able to drive around or through any problem. If you see a strange-looking person approaching your car, keep your doors locked and be ready to hit the accelerator. Tip #2: Escape is the best option. As I said, escape is the best option. Each situation is different. You might find yourself in a situation where you have to stop and wait before you can start driving. You might be stopped by another vehicle or obstacle. Fighting it out may be the only option when you are faced with an immediate and unavoidable danger of serious bodily injury or death. While I don’t recommend that you drive into dangerous intersections without checking, running a red light can be a significant safety risk. Tip #3: How to Draw a Firearm From the Driver’s Chair “The ability to accurately fire a firearm from a seated position is a critical element of vehicle defense.”
If you are drawing from a restricted seated position, the inside-the-waistband-holster you usually favor can be a little awkward and slow. This is especially true if you have a seatbelt. Cross-draw holsters are often used by professionals who spend a lot of time on surveillance or protective details. Cross-draw holsters allow for more efficient draw from a seated location. Many companies also sell “car holsters,” which allow you to carry your handgun off-body, but still within reach. For many reasons, I prefer to keep the gun on my belt. Most of us practice drawing and shooting in the more traditional positions such as sitting or standing. How much time have you spent practicing from a sitting position? Our posteriors are anchored in a chair or seat for a large portion of our day. This is an area that should not be overlooked. It is essential that you can fire accurately from a seated position in vehicle defense. You’ll be working in a restricted, seated position. There are also many other impediments, such as a steering wheel and seatbelt that can impede your ability to fire accurately. All of the trainees on the IALEFI course worked from a metal folding chair, with a target positioned to the left, right, forward, or behind. All of the previous work was brought into focus once the class moved from the chairs to the vehicles. I believe in training as realistically possible and the students were able to engage and hit threats from a motor vehicle after trying it. It didn’t matter where the target was located–students were able to hit it. It may be difficult to shoot with a weak hand or in an unusual position, but it is possible. This is something that most people will not be capable of doing on their own. It is not common to shoot up personal vehicles. Officers in my agency practice shooting from and around vehicles. However, it is a “windows down” proposition. An inert training gun could be a good companion for your carry piece. You can safely draw the training gun from your holster, simulate firing, and all of this can be done in your garage or driveway. Tip #4: Watch out for car windows Bonded bullets work better than traditional JHPs.
You will most likely need to shoot through glass if you want to fire from the inside of a vehicle. Tempered glass is used for some windows, including the side and rear. The glass will shatter instantly upon impact from a bullet. In the interest of safety, windshields made of laminated glasses are used. Laminated glass will crack, spider web or shatter if it is hit with a bullet. Laminated glass can be a formidable barrier and cause jacket/core separation, or even cause your bullet to deviate from its intended target. Laminated glass is better for hollow points made of all-copper and bonded materials. Tip #5 – Take Cover In the event that your vehicle becomes disabled or blocked, and you need to take in incoming fire from a distance away, it is advisable to take cover. If you are trapped in your car, it is possible to cause death or serious bodily injuries. You’ll be better off if you can get out of your car from the other side of the incoming flames and move to cover. Keep your head down and make yourself as small as possible. Cover is defined as any item that provides protection against whatever is being fired at it. I can only give one example of modern vehicles that provide true protection: the engine block and brake drums. The rest of the car is made up of sheet metal, rubber, plastic, rubber, glass. Even the most powerful handgun rounds can only penetrate vehicles in an “iffy” way. Rifle rounds or shotgun slugs can easily penetrate windshields and doors of automobiles, but they are unlikely to be used by street thugs. The IALEFI class was an interesting example of this. Four different loads were used for personal defense and were used to shoot the windshield of an intermediate-sized sedan. Two examples were shot in 9mm with a nonbonded hollowpoint and another with an bonded hollowpoint. Two examples were shot in.45 ACP with a nonbonded and bonded bullet. Handgun rounds can sometimes be stopped by car doors.
The windshield was easily broken by all four rounds. A target was placed on the seat. The results against the car door were quite surprising. The bullets did not penetrate the car door. Although I don’t believe doors are bulletproof they can provide some protection as you move towards the sides to get better coverage. Door cards, handles, switches and glass on car doors can all be used to prevent bullet penetration. If the bullet hits sheet metal, it’s going through. Although doors may not be true cover, if you have no other options, they can save you a few seconds until you find something better. These tips will help you save your life. It is better to leave the scene than to fight it out. Having your gun handy is not the best option. In extreme cases, however, it may be the only option. Keep your eyes open and willing to do what it takes to keep yourself safe. Continue Reading Search The post How to Survive a Carjacking appeared originally on Personal Defense World.
