Watch: This ‘new hijacking method’ is causing concern across SA

Driving safety experts have warned of a dangerous new method that’s being used in hijackings across South Africa, after footage of an incident in Johannesburg went viral. This latest strategy raises genuine cause for concern, as it can be executed in a very swift manner – and it’s not easy to avoid.

What is the ‘highway on-ramp’ method?

According to MasterDrive, the technique involves a carjacker pulling in front of a victim as they enter onto a highway ‘on-ramp’. The criminal can block their passage forward, get themselves out of their own car, and quickly pounce on their target. Should the hijacking be pulled off successfully, the crook would then have an open carriageway to escape down.

It’s certainly creative, if not downright despicable. Eugene Herbert is the managing director of the vehicle safety company, and he has advised all highway-using motorists to ‘keep their distance’ when entering via an on-ramp. The video below perhaps best captures this new method, and shows how it can be done within the blink of an eye.

Watch: New hijacking method identified by experts

‘Don’t be a hero’

The woman in the video has been hailed as ‘exemplary’ by Herbert. She complies with the hijacker’s request, rapidly exits the car when instructed to do so, and keeps her hands up at all times. MasterDrive is adamant that no victim should feel the need to fight back, and in their words; ‘a car can be replaced, but a human life cannot’.

“The driver was blocked in by the hijacker’s car that preceded her and soon by traffic behind her. A key way to prevent yourself from being in this position is to ensure that you keep at least three metres between yourself and the car in front of you when stationary. Admittedly, it would have been difficult to move around the hijackers in this video.”

“When driving, accept that someone stopping suddenly in this manner may be a threat and that your best response is to immediately move around the obstacle. Often, however, this may not be possible.”

“Oncoming cars, or as is the case in this video, people (criminals or otherwise) make this impossible. In this instance, rather surrender the car than subject yourself to physical harm by fighting with the hijackers or driving straight at them. A car can be replaced but a life cannot nor can the consequences of a rash decision be reversed.”

Eugene Herbert