Becoming a hijacking victim is a fear that motorists in South Africa face daily.
To educate motorists on how to protect themselves and their families during a hijacking, the Centre of Happiness (Coh) held a workshop dealing with this issue.
“People need to know what to do during a hijacking and how to get their children out of the car safely,” said director Charné Cuen.
*Joe Viljoen, who teaches advanced driving and gives anti-hijacking tips, hosted the workshop. He said it was vital that hijacking victims remained calm during the incident.
“Listen to what they [hijackers] are saying,” he said.
“Do not fight them as this will aggravate them. Remember they are there to get your car in the quickest time possible. If it means hurting you because you are posing as a threat, they will. So be calm.”
He explained how getting a good look at the attackers, including taking note of identifiable marks, could help police draw up an identikit. However, he warned against looking at the attackers straight in the eye as they might see this as a threat.
He added that if your children are in the car, let the hijackers know. “Tell the hijackers to take the car, but to let you get your children. Most of the time they will,” he said
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“People should always make sure their car doors are locked,” continued Viljoen.
“Leave a space [in front of your car] when at a stop. This will give you the opportunity to move should you see anything suspicious.
“If you have a puncture on the highway or in a remote area, do not stop, drive to the nearest petrol station. Taking different routes home will also throw them off if they are timing your arrival at home.”
Viljoen concluded the workshop with these words … “Trust your gut, always. If something feels wrong, do not drive into your driveway, don’t stop your car. Call your security company or the police.”
*To protect the identity of the speaker for his own safety, we have changed his name.
Details: www.centreofhappiness.org.za
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