Be alert. 

Have your keys out and ready to open the door. Visually scan the area around your car before approaching it. Pay attention to road conditions and stay alert as you drive. Do not daydream.

Lockup.

Whenever you are in your car, keep your car doors locked and windows rolled up. This will help prevent an attacker from reaching into your car, opening the door and grabbing you.

Be careful where you park.

If you stop at a pay phone or gas station, park in a well-lit area visible to an attendant or another driver. If you park on the street, look around before you pull into your spot. Check to see if anyone suspicious is hanging around or if people are sitting in parked cars nearby. You can always drive around the block or find another parking space if you sense that something is not right.

Check inside and around your car.

Before you get into your car, always glance into the back seat and down at the floors to see if someone is hiding there. If you often drive at night, keep a flashlight handy — perhaps on a key chain or in a coat pocket — to shine on your car before you get in. Also, glance underneath your car; carjackers have been known to hide there. Some newer cars are equipped with a remote sensor that unlocks doors and turns on lights in the car while you are still ten feet away from it. This device will help you spot an unwanted guest in or near your car.

Don't fall for a "bump-and-run."

Some carjackers use the tactic of hitting the “target” car from behind at a relatively slow speed. When the driver of the “target” gets out to check the damage, the robbers jump in the driver’s seat and steal the car (or valuables such as a purse left in the car.)  The best response to this situation will depend both on the circumstances and your own intuition.

 

If you are in bumper-to-bumper traffic in broad daylight, and someone hits your car, you might decide it is safe to get out of your car because a robber wouldn't be able to go anywhere even if he tried.

 

If you are alone and it's late at night, you might stick your arm out the window and point to a nearby gas station, police station or some other well-lit public place and signal for the other driver to follow you there. When you get to a safer place, you can then exchange phone numbers for insurance purposes. Some drivers roll down their window an inch and wait for the driver who caused the accident to approach. By exchanging information through the crack in the window, you remain somewhat protected.

 

Although you're not supposed to leave the scene of an accident, if you feel you are in danger, keep driving. If circumstances or your intuition suggest that you are in danger, drive to the nearest police or highway patrol station, or to a safe public phone so you can call police. Better to pay for repairing your back bumper than to lose your life to a carjacker.

Some car robbers swoop in front of a person's moving car and force them to slam on the brakes, causing a minor accident. Again, use your common sense and judgment and the self-protective tactics mentioned for the bump-and-run tactic mentioned above.

Recognizing the danger of carjackings, some states are more lenient on people who move their cars after a rear-ender. Check with your local police department or auto club for updated information on legislation in your state.

 

Exercise caution if your car breaks down.

When you have car trouble and someone stops to help you, you do not have to open your door or get out of your car. Rather, roll your window down just enough to ask the person to call the local police or highway patrol. If you belong to an auto club, you can ask that they call the club for you.

 

Make a report — not a stop — if you see someone else with car trouble. It's best not to stop unless it's clearly safe to do so. Note the model and color of the car, as well as the license plate number, and drive to the nearest safe phone and call the local police or highway patrol to report the problem. Even if you drive past an apparent accident, use caution. Staging fake accidents to lure unsuspecting victims has been used by crooks since the days of the Model-T.

 

Avoid confrontations with other drivers.

Do not risk your life by arguing with another driver. Not only are cars lethal weapons, but you have no way of knowing if the other driver is armed. Tragedies have resulted from senseless arguments over turn signals and other minor issues. If another driver is rude or insulting, continue driving safely — don't let yourself be drawn into an altercation.

 

Don't let a suspicious car follow you home.

If you are being followed, don't drive directly home. Drive, instead, to the nearest police or fire station, hospital emergency entrance, all-night restaurant or other safe place. Call police to let them know your suspicions and, if possible, give a description of the driver and car that was following you.

 

Keep your garage or driveway secure.

Install an automatic garage door opener and motion sensor lights at your home. When you pull into your driveway, the lights should go on and illuminate anyone lurking nearby. The automatic door opener could prevent a car robber from attacking you when you get out to open the garage door. Once in the garage, look around before you get out of your car, to make sure no one entered the garage after you. If your garage is not attached to your house, be sure the bushes are trimmed and no other obstructions block your view of the area between the spot where you park and your door or entryway.

 

Give up your car.

If confronted by a robber, police advise that you do not resist or argue with the person, especially if the person is armed. Give up your car and get away.

 

One final note: A CARJACKER MAY NOT BE AWARE CHILDREN ARE IN YOUR CAR. If a carjacker approaches you when you're with your children, tell the carjacker that he/she can have the car but you must get your children out first. Usually the criminal is only interested in the vehicle.