Home should feel like the safest part of your day. Yet for many South African motorists, the most vulnerable moment happens just before they arrive — when slowing down at the gate or pulling into the driveway.
Recent SAPS-linked reporting shows that vehicle hijackings remain a serious risk, even when quarterly numbers fluctuate. Between January and March 2025, 4,533 hijackings were recorded nationally, averaging around 50 incidents per day. While this reflected a year-on-year decrease for that quarter, the risk remains significant for everyday drivers.
Miway’s claims experience aligns with what many road-safety and security organisations continue to highlight: a large share of hijackings occur at or just outside residential properties, where vehicles slow down and drivers are momentarily distracted.
About the driveway risk
Industry reporting and insurer claims analysis in South Africa consistently indicate that a significant proportion of vehicle hijackings occur at or near residential properties — particularly at gates and driveways.
This insight is commonly referenced in security-industry reporting (including Crime SA analyses and insurer claims data summaries) rather than a single public SAPS category, as SAPS crime statistics do not isolate “driveway” as a standalone location type.
Hijackings are rarely completely random. A common tactic is to follow a vehicle until it slows down, then strike when attention shifts to the gate or driveway.
A simple awareness habit can make a real difference:
If something doesn’t feel right, trust that instinct. Safety guidance consistently shows that hesitation at the gate increases risk.
DO
DON’T
Predictability makes it easier for criminals to plan. Driving the same route at the same time every day can unintentionally expose patterns — especially around robots, stop streets, and residential gates.
Reducing predictability doesn’t require dramatic changes:
Small changes can disrupt follow-home tactics before they reach your driveway.
If you suspect you’re being followed:
Road-safety guidance consistently emphasises this principle: don’t take risk to “just get home” when something feels wrong.
Festive periods, school holidays, shift work, and social events all disrupt routines. That unpredictability can increase vulnerability — which is why having a repeatable arrival-home routine is so important.
These simple steps help you stay in control at the point where risk is often highest.
A hijacking doesn’t only affect your vehicle. It can disrupt your work, your family responsibilities, and your finances overnight. Insurance exists to help place you back in the position you were in before an unexpected event — and to reduce the longer-term impact on your life.
Having the right cover means one less decision to make when everything else feels uncertain.
For additional support, MiWay offers value-added services such as MiGuard, an armed response service linked to the Miway App panic button. When activated, help can be dispatched through a national response network where available.
Insurance The Way You Want It
If you’d like to review your car insurance or get a quote, MiWay makes it quick and simple — so you’re protected for the risks you can’t predict.
