By: Natasha Archary
A new warning has been issued to motorists to be mindful when on the roads as hijackers are using the ‘tap tap’ trap to target their victims.
The method is not new but it’s made a comeback in recent months, with more motorists falling victim to the ploy.
Fidelity Secure Drive, a security company notes there’s been an increase in hijackings over the past year.
Chief Executive of the group, Wahl Bartmann says most hijacking incidents between April 2021 and May 2022 occured in Gauteng and KZN.
Gauteng remains the hijacking hotspot in the country with 231 vehicles hijacked during this period.
The ‘tap tap’ trap is when a hijacker deliberately drives into the back of your car in traffic, at a traffic light or when you’re stopped on the road.
Naturally, the motorist’s first inclination is to get out of the vehicle to assess the damage, but Bartmann warns drivers not to do this.
This is especially so for single female motorists, and older drivers, however he says men are not exempt from the method.
Often hijackers use female drivers as a decoy, to give targets a false sense of security.
“Using female drivers makes people feel like it’s safer to get out of their vehicle to check the damage. If it’s a slight bump on your car and your vehicle is still mobile, it’s best to drive to a busy location or nearest police station. Never get out of your car on the scene of the fender-bender.”
Motorists can signal to the driver who bumped into them to follow them without leaving their vehicle. If it’s an actual bumper bashing then the driver is most likely to follow, if not hijackers seldom do.
Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban are the cities that have the highest number of reported hijackings per day. Hijackers are prone to act on Thursdays and Fridays between 06h00 – 09h00 and 18h00 – 24h00 during peak traffic volumes.
Bartmann has also shared a few tips for motorists in the event of a hijacking:
- Lift up your arms to show you have no weapon and will surrender
- Use your left arm to undo your seatbelt and put your car in neutral
- Do not turn off your car
- Get out slowly
- Try and angle your body sideways so you are not facing a firearm head-on
- Remember to protect your head with your arms
- Avoid direct eye contact with the hijackers
- Try to take in what they are wearing, the sound of their voices, etc.
- Most importantly try to remain calm
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