10 things women should know when in a hijacking situation
According to News24, in the period 2012/13, carjacking (which is 9% of aggravated robbery) increased by 5.4% and truck hijacking (which is 1% of aggravated robbery) increased by 14.9%. These increases are quite steep and it does make you think, maybe this could happen to you (if it hasn’t happened already). If it does in fact happen to you, have you ever thought about what you would do?
What follows is a list of instructions on how to handle the situation if you are caught in it:
1. When forced to drive with a hijacker, be observant without making direct eye contact and try to memorise as many details about the surroundings, the predator(s) and the weapons as possible.
2. If you are in the situation where the predator has a gun, but you are not under his control, you should try to run. If he does shoot he will only have a small chance of hitting you.
3. If the hijacker is armed and you are under their control and not in the position to escape, remain still and obey the orders of the hijacker.
4. You might think that if you are hijacked you will fight back, but protective forces say it is important to not resist or lose your temper, especially when the hijacker has a weapon.
5. If in fact, the hijacker is only interested in your vehicle, surrender the vehicle and move away. Try to put as much space between you and the predator as quickly as possible.
6. If you have a baby/child on the back seat, which they may not have noticed, make them aware. Tell them that driving away with your child is only going to make things more difficult for them. Ask them if they can fetch your child. Do not move towards the car without their explicit directive. Make the attackers clearly aware that a baby is not a threat.
7. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will.
8. If the hijacker forces you to drive, a good move can be to bump another car while you are still at a slow speed. There is a good chance this will get you out of the situation
9. It is always important to activate the vehicle tracking device if the vehicle is fitted with one.
10. If your vehicle has been hijacked or stolen, promptly report it to the SAPS. Make sure you have the vehicle details available to assist with the recovery of the vehicle.
“Unfortunately this is the reality we live in and it could happen to anyone, especially women. You are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you are a women driving alone it might be wise to keep pepper spray or a stun gun in your car” – SAPS
(Sources: Arrive Alive, SAPS, News24)