Protecting Yourself From And During A Carjacking  

Picture it: your slowing down at a red light when, out of nowhere, a man brandishing a gun knocks on your car window. What do you do? This is the modern urban motorist's nightmare scenario: a carjacking in broad daylight. Not only is the prospect of having your car stolen from under your nose frightening, it can also be quite dangerous. Although most carjacking are limited to theft, they can quickly escalate towards violence under certain circumstances. Here are some tips for protecting yourself from and during a carjacking.

Tip # 1: Avoid a violent attack by acquiescing to your carjacker's demand. As awful as it sounds, when it comes to a life or death situation, it's important to keep yourself safe. Chances are that your car is insured and can be replaced, but your life, health and safety cannot so easily be compensated. Don't risk your life for your car—stay safe and get out of the situation as fast as you can.

Tip # 2: Don't make yourself an easy target. Being the victim of a carjacking in no way means that you have made yourself the target or somehow asked to be carjacked. But there are definitely some strategies and things you can do in order to keep from being carjacked. If you have the option, choose to have your windows tinted. There are regulations in some areas regarding dark tinted windows, so make sure you check any local ordinances before investing in a full tint job. Tinting your windows give you more privacy and make it more difficult for people to see who they are dealing with, thus less likely that you will make an easy target. However, another line of thought says that cars with tint may actually be more attractive to carjackers because it allows them to be less visible. The most important precautions you can take are to keep your doors and windows locked, and stay alert of your immediate surroundings.

Tip # 3: Be aware of your surroundings as you enter the parking lot. A lot of times, carjacking occur as you prepare to enter your car after an absence. This means that parking lots are prime locations for carjacking. Stay safe by remaining attuned to your impairment. That means you should be aware of your exits, and try to have your keys in your hand as he prepared to enter a car. If you know that you'll be driving late at night, always try to park under a source of light. If a carjacker is scoping a parking lot to find a ready victim, they will probably go after a person who is traveling alone and who is distracted. Your goal is not to be this kind of target.

Tip # 4: Don't assume your car is safe simply because your car has a good anti theft device. Many people make the mistake of assuming that their car is safe from being carjacked simply because their car is heavily secured with a top-of-the-line anti theft security device. The simple truth is that an expensive anti theft security device in your car will not protect you against carjacking. In fact, some experts believe that carjacking is on the rise because cars are so heavily secured and there more difficult to steal when they are not running. It is a lot easier to steal cars from someone when the car is running and the door is open then when the car is locked and not running.

Tip # 5: If you're being carjacked with children, be prepared to act. This is a parent's worst nightmare: getting carjacked while your small child is with you in the car. What can you do to keep your child safe if you are experiencing a carjacking? First, try to remain as calm as the situation will allow. It usually does no one any good to become panicked. Next, try to get yourself and your child out and away from the car as fast and safely as possible. If a carjacker is demanding your car keys, throw your keys as far away as possible so that you have time to remove your child from the car. Do not try to fight the carjacker. Focus instead of staying come, alert and safe.