AMU Emergency Management Public Safety

Vehicle-Ramming Attacks Will Necessitate Policy Changes

By Allison G. S. Knox
Contributor, EDM Digest

In Germany on New Year’s Eve, a man intentionally drove his vehicle into a crowd and injured several people, some of them severely. This terrorist incident was one of the new terrorist tactics used in mass casualty events over the past few years.

Vehicular Accidents Not New, But Deliberate Use of Vehicles to Maim or Kill Pedestrians Is Recent Terrorist Tactic

Vehicle accidents involving pedestrians are not new; they have happened for decades. But now, vehicle-ramming attacks are a common terrorist tactic that has been used in various cities, such as:

  • London, England
  • Muenster, Germany
  • Berlin, Germany
  • Nice, France
  • Toronto, Canada
  • Stockholm, Sweden
  • Manhattan, New York

Terrorist Attacks Involving Vehicles and Pedestrians Will Continue to Evolve

As terrorists find new ways to injure or kill to express their political ideas, such attacks will continue to evolve. Consequently, first responders will need to find other ways of preventing these attacks.

In recent years, terrorist incidents have been on the rise throughout Europe and the United States. Unfortunately, terrorists do not have to have particularly advanced skills to create havoc within a community. In fact, some of the most frightening incidents have occurred from terrorists who use a minimal number of tools.

The use of vehicles as battering rams has become a popular tactic among terrorists because this type of attack is relatively inexpensive and injures or kills a large number of people quickly. Also, individuals walking on the street are instant targets with few defenses.

The Prevention of Terrorist Attacks Involving Vehicles Must Become a Priority

Preventing these attacks must become a matter of great importance for city planners. For several years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has worked to reduce the possibility of terrorists using vehicles to hurt pedestrians.

Similarly, law enforcement must work to prevent and eliminate these horrific incidents in the future.

Allison G.S. Knox

Allison G. S. Knox teaches in the fire science and emergency management departments at the University. Focusing on emergency management and emergency medical services policy, she often writes and advocates about these issues. Allison works as an Intermittent Emergency Management Specialist in the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. She also serves as the At-Large Director of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, Chancellor of the Southeast Region on the Board of Trustees with Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in Social Sciences, chair of Pi Gamma Mu’s Leadership Development Program and Assistant Editor for the International Journal of Paramedicine. Prior to teaching, Allison worked for a member of Congress in Washington, D.C. and in a Level One trauma center emergency department. She is an emergency medical technician and holds five master’s degrees.

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