A man in South Seattle received the fright of his life this weekend when he fell victim to a carjacking. He was sitting inside his Mercedes at around 10:30 on Sunday morning when a man came up to his vehicle, showed him the revolver he was carrying, then demanded that the driver give him his car. He drove off and was not able to be located by officers.
A carjacking often includes weapons and can be an extremely traumatizing experience for drivers. There is often little you can do during a carjacking. The first priority is to keep yourself safe. Oftentimes, the carjacker is interested in just your vehicle, and not in hurting or causing harm to you. When it comes down to it, as hard as it may be for yo to do, you should give up your vehicle in most situations. Additionally, the Department of State recognizes two types of carjacking situations: nonconfrontational/nonresistive and confrontational/resistive.
In a nonconfrontational situation, they advise that you:
• Give up the vehicle immediately
• Listen closely to any directions the carjacker gives you
• Avoid sudden movements that the attacker may perceive as a counter attack
• Be sure to keep your hands visible
• If you plan on moving, warn your attacker
• If children are present, tell the carjacker
In a confrontational situation:
• You are focused on escaping or attacking your carjacker
• Consider: the mental state of the carjacker, possible escape routes, the number of attackers, and weapons that the attacker(s) may be carrying
Overall, it is most important to remember that you should place your safety and the safety of any other victims ahead of your vehicle. A car can be replaced but your life cannot be!