For special operations personnel, knowing how to stop a vehicle on the move or being able to take over for an incapacitated driver can definitely come in handy, especially in high-risk areas.
This is where Wyatt Knox comes in. He is the special projects director at the Team O’Neil Rally School, and he’s got a few pointers for us when it comes to tactical driving techniques. As you might expect, it’s mostly about awareness and practice.
Starting with the always popular PIT maneuver, Knox says that the reason why he advises it should be done “left front to right rear” in the U.S. is because it’s easier to spin the driver away from oncoming traffic that way.
The goal is to hit the sweet spot between the edge of the bumper and the rear wheel, so that you don’t damage your own vehicle in the process. Once applied, the PIT maneuver will destabilize any susceptible vehicle, regardless of how experienced its driver is.
Another interesting skill is knowing how to take over if for any reason the driver becomes incapacitated and you’re in the front passenger seat. The goal here is to hold on to the driver side door grab handle in order to stabilize yourself, while pushing the driver’s feet out of the way with your own.
The video runs through multiple high-risk scenarios, but we’ll let you see all that for yourselves.