Poster #85 - Understanding the Opportunity Structure of Vehicle Ramming Attacks

• In Event: Poster Session II (posters 80 – 155)

Abstract

Introduction: Vehicle ramming attacks (VRAs)—in which a vehicle is used to intentionally ram into pedestrians and/or other vehicles—have become an attractive attack strategy of lone wolf terrorists and any otherwise motivated individuals who seek to cause harm. This work examines the opportunity structure of both terror-related and non-terror-related VRAs.

Methods: We use several sources to compile a dataset of VRAs that occurred between 2000 and 2025 across multiple countries. We code attacks based on several characteristics to examine the targets, tools, weapons, and facilitating conditions, based on Clarke and Newman’s four pillars of terrorist opportunity (Clarke and Newman 2006). In addition, we examine differences between terror-related and non-terror-related VRAs.

Results: We find that VRAs are typically carried out during daytime hours, targeting civilian pedestrians in public spaces such as streets, sidewalks, and pedestrianized spaces. There are, however, important differences between the targets, tools, weapons, and facilitating conditions of terror- and non-terror-related attacks.

Discussion: Understanding the opportunity structure of VRAs can help to inform prevention strategies. This work emphasizes the challenges of preventing VRAs, given the diverse range of motives, targets, and approaches. We recommend that target hardening measures, such as bollards, be the primary focus of prevention strategies.

Authors

• Cheyenne Hodgen, University of California, Irvine

• Chloe Tran Ellis, University of California, Irvine