Darren C. lives in St. Petersburg, Florida…
One evening around 8 P.M. he and his wife went to the Crafty Crab restaurant for some takeout.
Darren waited in the car while his wife went inside to grab their food.
While Darren was waiting, a masked man jumped in his car and attempted to steal it.
But Darren drew his firearm and shot at the masked suspect.
The carjacker ran away while Darren called the police.
The suspect was shot and later identified as an 18-year-old man, who ended up in critical but stable condition at a local hospital.
Police didn’t say how they located the gunman.
However, they did say that once he is released from the hospital, he will face charges of attempted carjacking and occupied vehicle trespassing.
Thankfully, Darren and his wife were not harmed during the incident.
Statistically, you are more likely to encounter a self-defense situation around your car than inside your home.
And this sort of incident highlights why it’s important to understand how to draw and fire your gun in and around a vehicle.
You need to be prepared to use your vehicle as both cover and concealment when needed to save your life.
Different areas of a vehicle can stop a bullet, while others will just provide concealment from the shooter but won’t stop bullets.
So, here are a few ways to use your car for cover once you are outside of it.
Engine:
The engine block typically takes up the front one-third of the vehicle and is the most effective part of a vehicle for stopping bullets.
It puts a lot of metal between you and the shooter and provides the most amount of material to stop rounds.
Of course, if the vehicle is a small car, you will likely need to get low for it to protect you.
On the other hand, if it’s a big truck you will likely be able to get behind the engine while standing.
But if you are going to use a car for cover, getting behind the engine is the best place to be.
Middle of the car:
The middle section of a car consists mainly of the doors.
Of course, there are stories where a door has stopped a bullet, but a 9mm bullet easily blows through car doors.
The support pillars in the middle of the car could potentially stop a round, but they are only a few inches wide and provide scant cover.
The first pillar is the diagonal one that supports the windshield and mirror.
The second pillar is in the middle, which connects the front and rear doors of a four-door car.
This pillar contains the most metal because it acts as a roll bar in case of a roll-over type accident.
And the middle pillar has actually been shown to stop rounds from .308 rifles.
In fact, you will often see a police officer step to the front or middle pillar during a traffic stop to use it as cover.
I would never count on the thin strips of pillars to provide me enough cover, so whenever possible, move behind the engine block.
The rear of the vehicle:
The rearmost part of the passenger compartment contains a pillar that goes diagonally to the rear wheel wells.
Using this pillar and the rear wheel can provide cover.
Wheels are made of thick metal and the part of the car around the wheels is typically reinforced with more metal.
So, if you find yourself near the rear of a vehicle your best place for cover is the wheels and the rear pillar.
The trunk is hollow and is no better than a car door.
During a gunfight, you’ll want to take cover in front first, then the rear of the car.
If you have to move, don’t stop in the middle.
Always stay mobile and adjust your positioning as the shooter moves.
