Probability of Being Carjacked (Annual)
1 in 4,000
Annual probability in US
The annual probability of being a victim of carjacking is approximately 1 in 4,000 in the US, with rates higher in urban areas.
Carjacking, the theft of a motor vehicle by force or threat, affects approximately 34,000 Americans per year according to Bureau of Justice Statistics data. This translates to an annual probability of roughly 1 in 4,000. Carjacking rates increased during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carjackings are concentrated in urban areas and often occur in parking lots, gas stations, intersections, and residential driveways. Most carjackings involve a weapon (usually a firearm), and victims are occasionally injured. Young males in urban areas face the highest risk. Most carjackers are looking for the vehicle, not to harm the occupant.
Safety experts universally recommend giving up the car without resistance if confronted, as no vehicle is worth your life. Preventive measures include staying alert to your surroundings, keeping doors locked and windows up in high-risk areas, leaving room between your car and the vehicle ahead (to allow escape), avoiding sitting in a parked car while distracted by your phone, and being extra cautious at gas stations and ATMs at night.
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