How to protect yourself and your children during a hijacking

Being involved in a hijacking is a terrible ordeal in which most people become paralysed with fear and anxiety as ruthless criminals attempt to harm you and your loved ones, before taking off with your car.

It’s important to remember that your vehicle is replaceable and the experts agree that you should let the criminal take the vehicle if it is going to save your life.



Eye Witness News (EWN) recently released important information about what you should and shouldn’t do during a hijacking. Every situation is different, however, there are steps that you can take to ensure the safety of your life and the lives of your children.

• If you’re travelling with one child, ensure that they are sitting directly behind you and NOT in the left rear seat. If you are hijacked it will be easier to help your child get of the car if they’re sitting on the right-hand side. This will save you time by not having to run around to the opposite side of the car.

• If you are travelling with two or more children, teach them how to loosen their seatbelts and open their doors independently if possible.

• If your children are old enough it’s advisable that you should disengage your child-lock system.

• If you have a central locking system, remember to open all doors before getting out of the car and handing the keys over to the hijacker. This will allow you to open your rear passenger doors and get your children out while the hijacker is getting into the driving seat.

• DON’T keep your key in your pocket (if you have a keyless start car), as the hijacker may think you are reaching for a firearm when you put your hand into your pocket to get your keys.

• Keep your key in the arm rest or somewhere close by. Your key is your bargaining tool which buys you time to get your child or children out while the hijacker gets into the car & starts it up.

• When you’re outside the vehicle try not to face the hijacker and turn your body sideways, with your shoulder facing him, where possible. This prevents your vital organs from being in the line of fire should the hijacker shoot at you.

• Turning your body sideways also allows you to focus on your children in the rear seats of the vehicle.

• Follow the hijackers instructions, remain as calm as possible and don’t interact with them unless you have to, such as making it clear what movements you’re about to make.

Your vehicle’s security is essential but ultimately, yours and your loved ones’ safety is of the utmost importance to us. Our personal safety systems use the latest anti-hijack notifications to safeguard you from danger. If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, simply press your Matrix Panic Button Remote and a signal will be sent to the Matrix Control Room. Matrix customers can call for roadside assistance by pressing their panic remote once and call for emergency assistance by holding it down for 4 seconds. This will send a silent signal to the Matrix control room for an assessment of the situation before help is dispatched to your exact location using GPS. *

*For MX2 and MX3 customers

Kind regards
The Matrix Team