According to the official crime stats released last week, carjacking increased by 92.2% for the period April 2021 to 30 June 2021 compared to the same period last year. This figure, however, was adjusted to 13.2% when compared to the same period during 2019/2020.
- A car is replaceable a life is not. Do not argue, fight or try anything dangerous to escape the situation. News stories about drivers whose ‘heroic’ actions helped them escape would be far lower if the stories of people who tried fighting, but failed, were published.
- Indicate your willingness to comply. A hijack extraction course will teach you the steps to take that will indicate to a criminal that you will surrender the car.
- Before it is a real-life situation, teach your children how to react if they are ever in a carjacking. This includes learning what is the best way to get your children out of the car and sharing this with them in a manner that they will remember.
- Ensure you regularly practice getting out of a vehicle in the same way you would during a carjacking – as often as possible. Make it the normal way you exit your car so that if it had to happen, it is muscle memory and you react automatically.
As the economy continues to struggle to recover, it is unlikely the next crime stats will improve by much. Ensure no matter what the stats say, that you are constantly aware and know what to do if you come face-to-face with a carjacker.
Source: MasterDrive