Vehicle-Based Attacks
In today’s world, vehicles are not just a means of transport, they can also be used as dangerous weapons. Vehicle-based attacks are when cars, vans, or lorries are deliberately driven into people, buildings, or secure sites to cause harm. For security officers working in a Control Room, knowing how to detect, respond, and manage these incidents is essential. Your role is about spotting early warning signs, directing response teams, and making sure incidents are controlled quickly and safely.
What is a Vehicle-Based Attack?
A vehicle-based attack usually falls into one of three types:
Ramming into people or crowds: attackers drive into groups in public areas to cause injuries.
Forced entry: vehicles are used to smash through gates, barriers, or security fencing to gain access to restricted areas.
Parked vehicle threats: a vehicle is abandoned with dangerous materials or simply left in a suspicious way to cause panic or disrupt normal operations.
Why SCR Operators are Critical
As a Security Control Room operator, you are often the first person to notice unusual behaviour. You see the bigger picture through CCTV, alarms, and communications. You are the link between what is happening on the ground and how the security team responds.
Your responsibilities include:
Monitoring CCTV for unusual or suspicious vehicle behaviour.
Alerting on-site officers quickly and clearly.
Coordinating with emergency services if the situation escalates.
Keeping accurate records of events, times, and actions taken.
Real-World Scenario
Imagine this: it is a busy weekday morning. On CCTV, you notice a delivery van circling the perimeter of your site several times without stopping. Instead of pulling into the delivery bay, it stops directly outside the main pedestrian entrance. The driver remains in the vehicle with the engine running.
What do you do?
First, you stay calm and keep monitoring closely.
Next, you alert ground staff, asking them to keep a safe distance while remaining discreet.
You log the time and details of the vehicle.
If the risk grows, you escalate to the emergency services and follow your site’s incident procedure.
This type of fast, professional response could prevent an attack or at least reduce the damage caused.
Warning Signs to Look Out For
Vehicles loitering near entrances or sensitive areas without a clear reason.
Drivers behaving nervously or refusing to follow instructions.
Vehicles parked in unusual places, particularly where parking is restricted.
A sudden increase in speed as a vehicle approaches security points.
How Control Rooms Can Use Technology to Stop Attacks
Modern security control rooms are more advanced than ever, and technology can help stop a vehicle-based attack before it even begins.
CCTV Analytics: Many systems now have motion detection and behaviour analysis, meaning the system can alert operators when a vehicle approaches at unusual speeds or parks in restricted areas.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR): Identifies vehicles that are stolen, flagged, or not authorised to enter the site.
Barrier Integration: Control rooms can remotely trigger rising bollards or gates to block access.
Alarms and Alerts: Smart alarms linked with CCTV can send automatic notifications if a vehicle is detected in prohibited zones.
Tip: Always double-check automated alerts with your own eyes on the monitor, never rely 100% on technology without human judgment.
Human Factors and Stress Management in Vehicle Attack Incidents
Dealing with a potential vehicle-based attack is stressful. Control room operators may face intense pressure, knowing that lives are at risk.
Stay Calm Under Pressure: Panic spreads quickly. If the control room operator sounds panicked, ground teams may also lose composure.
Follow the Checklist: A clear, step-by-step procedure prevents mistakes when adrenaline is high.
Communicate Clearly: Use short, direct radio messages. For example, instead of saying “There might be a situation,” say “Suspicious van outside Gate 3, keep clear.”
Look After Yourself: After a serious incident, debriefing and taking care of your mental wellbeing is important. Stress left unchecked can reduce your effectiveness in future incidents.
Example: During a simulated drill, one operator froze when faced with a suspicious vehicle alert. After practising regular tabletop exercises, their response time improved dramatically. This shows that practice builds confidence and resilience.
Consequences of Failing to Respond
When it comes to vehicle-based threats, hesitation or inaction can be deadly. In the Control Room, every second counts. If threats are missed or dealt with too late, the impact can be devastating:
Serious injury or loss of life: A fast-moving van can travel the length of a football pitch in just a few seconds. Failing to act could mean dozens of lives at risk.
Damage to property or essential infrastructure: Vehicles can rip through gates, damage buildings, or knock out utilities in moments. Repairs may take months, but the impact on safety is instant.
Panic and chaos: Imagine hundreds of people rushing for safety at once, with no clear direction. This kind of disorder makes responding even harder.
Loss of trust: If staff, visitors, or the public feel unsafe, the reputation of the site and security team can be permanently damaged. Confidence takes years to build, but can vanish in a single incident.
Think about it this way: You might not be able to stop the vehicle yourself, but your quick decision-making can stop the situation from spiralling out of control.
Tips for SCR Operators
Working in the Control Room during high-risk situations is like being the captain of a ship in a storm. The way you stay steady will guide everyone else. Here are some practical tips to keep you sharp:
Stay sharp: Staring at screens too long can make you miss vital details. Rotate your viewing pattern every few minutes to refresh your focus and avoid “screen blindness.”
Know your site: Walk the site when possible, or review maps regularly. If you know exactly where the barriers, blind spots, and choke points are, you can direct ground staff with confidence.
Work as a team: Communication is your most powerful tool. Short, clear radio calls save valuable seconds. Instead of saying “Something’s happening at the front,” say “Suspicious vehicle, Gate 2, red van, engine running.”
Train regularly: Drills might feel repetitive, but they hardwire your brain to respond quickly under pressure. Think of them like fire drills, they prepare you for the day it really matters.
Trust your instincts: If a vehicle, a driver, or a situation feels wrong, it usually is. Don’t ignore that gut feeling. Flag it early and let the team investigate.
Quick Statistics
Sometimes numbers tell the story better than words. Here are some facts that should stick in your mind:
Under 10 seconds – that’s all it takes for a vehicle to smash through an unsecured gate. By the time you’ve hesitated, the threat could already be inside.
Vans and lorries are the main threat – studies show these are used more often than cars because of their size, weight, and impact force. A lorry weighing 7.5 tonnes moving at 30mph can hit with the same force as over 20 cars colliding at once.
Remember: behind every statistic are real lives that could be protected by your vigilance.
Your Role as the Silent Protector
Vehicle-based attacks are unpredictable, fast, and dangerous, but so is your ability to stop them. As a Security Control Room Operator, you are the silent protector, the one watching, guiding, and making life-saving decisions in real time.
Your calm vigilance, sharp eye for detail, and quick, professional actions can be the difference between chaos and control. By staying alert, making smart use of technology, managing stress, and working hand-in-hand with your team, you are not just protecting property, you are safeguarding lives.
Remember: you may not be on the front line physically, but in the Control Room, you are the nerve centre of security. When a threat comes racing towards your site, your decisions matter most.
