Protecting Public Spaces Against Vehicular Terrorist Attacks

The recent wave of terrorist attacks, where vehicles are driven into crowds of people, forces us to question the effectiveness of the current antiterrorism security measures in our cities, especially in open public spaces. Vehicular terrorism, a new form of Islamic terrorism, which involves the use of mechanical vehicles as a weapon against civilians, brings new challenges for the police, security agencies and mass event organisers, as well as for designers, architects and planners. This article considers the possibilities, costs and results of implementing actions and security measures that may reduce the risk of vehicular terrorism.