How to combat the car jackers

The phenomenon of violence towards motorists from thieves and muggers is being taken so seriously that private firms and some car manufacturers are running courses on how to cope with car crime, says Sue Baker

CAR in gear, brain in neutral.

It's the way many of us drive, trustingly assuming that if we take reasonable care on the road, no harm will come to us.

If only such complacency were justified. Sadly, recent headlines suggest otherwise. Traffic-light muggings and violent carjackings have hit the news too often for comfort, and London is a hot spot for attacks on motorists.

Last year, in the Metropolitan Police area, there were more than 1,200 recorded offences that involved a vehicle being taken from a driver, ranging from attacks on owners of prestige cars to teenagers being yanked off their mopeds.

This year, the pattern worryingly continues.

It is enough to send nervous shivers down the spine of any driver, especially women who regularly drive alone, and particularly those behind the wheel of desirable models with upmarket badges.

For many, it's time to wise up and learn a few defensive ploys to avoid being targeted as potential victims.

That's the rationale behind a new defensive training course that Mercedes-Benz has set up for its women customers.

The first Ladies Safety at the Wheel event takes place this week at Cliveden, the stately home hotel near Cookham, in Berkshire. More are scheduled for other locations around the country.

Invited on a trial run of the course, I went with a Mercedesowning friend, Linda Pritchett from Kent, to experience what is basically an anti-carjacking teachin. Does she ever worry about something like this happening to her, when she's at the wheel of her opulent M- Class 4x4? "I'm mostly a school run mum kind of driver, but yes, you do think about it," she admitted.

The day starts with a stark reminder of why we're here: newspaper reports of carjackings scrolling across a large screen. The message is reinforced by opening remarks from one of the instructors (all of whom are current or retired police advanced driving instructors): "There is no 100 per cent way of stopping these things happening. What we aim to do is to lessen the risk of them happening to you."

How? Awareness is the word. Be alert, get to know your car thoroughly, plan your route but also vary it, that is, avoid driving the same way, at the same time every day. Think about where the vulnerable areas might be, and role play how you would react if trouble loomed.

"If you are under threat of attack, you are at risk of panic, so you need to think about possible scenarios and work out in advance what you would do," we are told.

Outside on Cliveden's elegant gravel drive, as we discuss car security features, I pop my briefcase down beside me. A moment later it has disappeared.

It is a deliberate heist, a jab in the ribs for my complacency.

"That's how quickly and easily something can happen if you're off your guard. Criminals are constantly looking for the weakest link, a thief wants your car keys, and he's on the lookout to get them when you're least expecting it," says the instructor.

Out on the road with instructor Sue Procter, a serving police officer, we are schooled in the art of driving to create a constant defensive safety bubble around the car and to minimise stops. "Try to pace your approach to traffic lights and junctions so that if at all possible you can keep moving," Sue says.

Fat chance of that in London. "Yes but when you have to stop, keep enough space around you so you have room to pull out past other vehicles if there's a problem. If you always position your car to have an escape route, you're less vulnerable," Sue explains.

Driving with the doors locked when you're in town is a sensible precaution, our tutors advise. We admit we already do. "Keep valuables out of sight, too.

Tuck your handbag away. Don't leave the keys unattended even for a second.

Lock the car and take the keys when you go to pay on a garage forecourt.

Just be alert and take sensible precautions."

Those who take the course for real may find themselves being followed.

Instructors take it in turns to play the villain and trail a pupil's car, so she can practice strategies for dealing with danger. But what if a determined carjacker tries to drive you off the road? "The bottom line is don't take a risk, give the car up, that's what you've got insurance for," we are told.

Did we learn much? Plenty, including how not to let a would-be carjacker learn too much about us.

Leaving shoes, clothing, magazines, and even letters with the address visible inside your car is much too revealing to a thief. "It tells anyone who cares to look that this car belongs to a woman, and maybe even where she lives. Don't make yourself vulnerable. Thieves prefer a soft target, so don't be one."

Copyright 2002
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