Would Your Car Doors Protect You from Bullets while Driving?

A couple of weeks ago, when the Los Angeles police were searching for Christopher Dorner, the ex-cop who went on a shooting rampage, they mistakenly shot at innocent civilians who had a similar truck to the suspects.  See a photo here.  

This incident made me think about how much protection your car really gives you, should you get shot at while driving.  In the same way, I wondered about bullets and apartment walls, I had to look into cars as well.  We’ve all seen cop shows where the characters hide behind an open car door to avoid getting shot during a gun fight.

Concealment or Cover?

Concealment is just being able to hide from view, while cover means you are protected from getting hit.

This is not something I’d want to test myself, so I did some research online and watched a Mythbuster episode where the the hosts fired into an old Cadillac.

It turns out, most pistol calibers will pass right through a car door, possibly even through to the opposite side.  See Pistols and Car Doors from The Box O’Truth

The truth is, car doors do not offer protection against bullets.  Car doors only give you concealment but not cover.  Glass windows may or may not shatter immediately, but will weaken enough that subsequent bullets fired will most likely get through.

Short of bullet proofing your car, how do you protect yourself?

• Be aware of your surrounding at all times
• Wherever you are, have an exit plan.  While driving, keep an eye on the positions of cars around you and where you can maneuver to get away from the shots.
• Avoid driving through unsafe areas, especially at night.
• In a SHTF situation, body armor while driving through dangerous areas may be a consideration.  It’s not a guarantee of safety, but offers some degree of protection.

For beginning preppers

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