Overview of Vehicular Threats to Human Life in Social Gatherings
Publication: Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 24, Issue 1
Abstract
The recent rise in high-profile vehicular attacks has exposed vulnerabilities in design considerations for urban spaces used by pedestrians. These vulnerabilities need to be addressed by engineers when designing the spaces, but standards must be developed to aid in the design. Changes in zoning can allow some areas to be hardened based on cultural, political, and other criteria for how the space is and can be used by pedestrians. This study examined recent high-profile vehicular attacks, reviewed existing site design standards for security, researched security considerations for special events, and developed risk-mitigation proposals. This article proposes the development of mandatory government standards for the site design of soft targets, municipal zoning management focused on pedestrian-centered areas, and more considerations to be made when planning special events to mitigate the threat of a vehicular attack.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Officer Kevin J. Hacker of the Counterterrorism Section, Commander Leo Panepinto, and the Chicago Police Department for their support and allowing us to present to their office; Vincent R. Parisi of FEMA Region V for having us at the FEMA office for a lunch-and-learn presentation; and Lauris Freidenfelds, director of Security Services and Emergency Management at Rush University Medical Center, for having us present and giving us input from his work for this article.
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© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 13, 2018
Accepted: Jun 18, 2018
Published online: Oct 17, 2018
Published in print: Feb 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Mar 17, 2019
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