Car Security
Escaping Carjacking

Car Security means being ready to escape carjacking.

When she stopped her car at an intersection, a man with a knife jumped into her unlocked car and forced her to drive. Virginia Brewer says she was able to swerve her car and slam on the brakes, throwing her kidnapper into the dashboard. While he was stunned, she was able to escape on foot.
Excerpted from The Columbus City Metro News (OH) – 30 August 2000

Jessica Paret said when she stopped at a traffic light, a man armed with a handgun forced his way through the driver's side window and demanded that Paret turn the vehicle over to him. Paret began driving away with the man hanging onto the car, and he started firing the gun, hitting her four times. Paret said when she slammed on the brakes, the man fell from the car and fled.
Excerpted from WPLG-TV10 Miami – 18 August 2003

"There was somebody behind me flashing their lights really, really frantically," she said. "I figured it was lit over there, and this is a main road. I pulled over and thought maybe there was something wrong with my car." She said the man walked up and flashed his gun. He then forced her to drive to an empty park where he told her to disrobe...
Excerpted from KDCO-TV5 Oklahoma – 01 April 2005

Duck and GO! If your motor is running and already in gear – and if your path is clear – duck down momentarily and mash down hard on the gas to escape. An automatic transmission is better for this – you might stall a manual transmission in a panic. If cross-traffic is blocking you, turn right into the flow (in the U.S.) to minimize a possible collision. Or:

Car security means giving up the car instantly and running away to escape! They usually prefer your absence anyway. Avoid eye contact, move slowly and never argue. However, if you have passengers (especially females), forcefully say, “You can have the car and our money but we’re leaving.” (Say this as though you expect it.) Females should try to exit through a door away from the carjackers. Or:

Floor the gas pedal, then jam the brakes! If a gunman jumps into your car, make him crash into the dashboard (he likely won’t have his seatbelt on) so you can flee – as Virginia Brewer did in the above story. (Better yet, keep your doors locked beforehand.) Or:

Crash and run! If a gunman jumps into your car, accelerate to crash into anything such as hedges, a tree, a ditch - then get out and flee. (Better yet for car security, keep your doors locked beforehand.) See Kidnapping and Kidnap Survival for more details.

As a retail store manager pulled out of her parking space to run some errands, a man trotted toward her, telling her that her brake lights weren’t working. They opened her trunk to check for loose wires. Suddenly he shoved her into the trunk, slammed it shut and drove her away. Again, see Kidnapping and Kidnap Survival.

Two teens attempted to carjack Andrian Marguiles’ truck. His decision to not comply saved him from losing his vehicle and/or being injured. He was driving out of the parking lot when they jumped in front of his vehicle. The man slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting them, until he saw a handgun. ... The teen pointed the gun at Mr. Marguiles and closed in on his vehicle. Mr. Marguiles kept his cool, stepped on the gas and sped away to escape. ... Police said Mr. Marguiles did the right thing in stepping on the gas pedal. "You'd be surprised how many people would stop. If a person is in their vehicle, with doors locked and keys in the ignition, then it is best not to comply with anyone approaching,” police said. ... "Yes, you take off," police said. "If they have guns, there might be some shooting. But that would be better than getting out of the vehicle. You don't know if they just want to take your car. There's an argument for either side. Weighing these two things, your best bet for car security still is to bolt out of there to escape."
Excerpted from The Capital (Annapolis MD) – 17 January 2007

For complete car security, see
• Car Security - Overview
• Avoiding Carjacking: being alert and prepared.
• Escaping Carjacking (YOU’RE NOW ON THIS PAGE): the best strategies.
• Car Ambushes: traps and escapes.
• Road Rage: avoiding a lunatic.
• Recap of Car Security.
• Pepper Spray & Devices.

Return to
Car Security - Overview
Crime-Safety-Security Home Page