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Car Traveling Border Areas
U.S. Government Advice

Warden Message: Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Carjacking Information

Consular Affairs Bulletins Report

Americas - Mexico

February 26 2009

U.S. Consulate General Ciudad Juarez issued the following Warden Message on February 26:

This warden message is being issued to offer advice to American citizens residing in or visiting the Mexican state of Chihuahua of how to avoid becoming a victim of carjacking and how to respond in this situation. The current Travel Alert for Mexico noted that there were 1,650 reported carjackings in Ciudad Juarez in 2008.

Carjacking prevention tips:

· Always keep your car doors locked and windows up while driving.

· Vary your routes and times during routine outings.

· When stopped in traffic, leave enough room between vehicles to maneuver and escape, if necessary.

· If traveling out of town, use toll roads if available.

· Limit travel outside of the city after dark. If you do travel out of town at all, inform someone where you are going and when you can be expected to return.

· Keep your house keys separate from your car keys, in the event you have to give up your vehicle to carjackers. Where possible, keep original documents and vehicle registration/id information in a safe place, rather than inside your vehicle.

· Always park in well-lighted areas. Use paid parking lots where available

· As you walk to your car be alert to suspicious persons sitting in cars or loitering nearby.

· Follow your instincts if they tell you to walk/run away to a safe place.

· As you approach your vehicle, look under, around, and inside your car before getting in.

· If safe, open the door, enter quickly, and lock the doors.

· Don't be a target by turning your back while loading packages into the car.

· Make it your habit to always start your car and drive away immediately.

· Teach and practice with your children to safely enter and exit the car quickly.

If you become a victim of a carjacking, the following is recommended:

· Don’t resist. Cooperate immediately and fully.

· Stay calm, put up your hands and comply with the carjackers demands.

· If you have a young child strapped in a car seat, try not to panic and immediately alert the carjackers of the child’s presence. Advise them that you are going to get your child out. Pre-instruct older children to quickly exit the vehicle if told to do so by parent or guardian.

· If you have a vehicle with an automatic transmission, consider turning off the vehicle while in Drive (make sure the parking brake is engaged). This action might buy you a few extra seconds to get your child out while the carjacker attempts to start the vehicle without knowing the car is in Drive (most vehicles will not start if the transmission is in Drive mode). Note: This action should only be used as a last resort to buy you a few extra seconds to remove a child from a car seat. Be aware that it could also provoke or enrage the carjackers if they believe that you are not complying with their demands.

· When feasible, immediately call 066

Your goal is to survive the incident without being injured or killed. Property and valuables can be replaced.

COMMENTS

Comment One: In the country driving is normal and the traffic is generally sparse. If you overtake a car and he puts his left blinker on and no turnoff is insight, this 'usually' means you can pass him. Don't do this in the city though. Driving at night is dangerous. Mexican cars don't use their lights until it is pitch black. Some of them don't even have lights, front or back. Animals tend to walk on the road at night and so do people. Even in daylight you will encounter cows, horses, and goats on the road. If you have to drive at night, deep it slow and don't overdrive your headlights. The curves are not well marked. Trucks do not dim their lights until the last second and that makes it hard to see the road because of no fog lines on the right side. On a lot of roads the shoulder is nonexistent. You will see a lot of old car hulks by the edge of the road along with animal bodies.

A few terns to pick up are:

Curva peligrosa is dangerous curve.

Vado is dip in the road. Alto is stop.

Despacio is slow.