Car bomb

A car bomb is an improvised explosive device placed inside a vehicle. These devices are often called vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, or VBIEDs. They can be found in many types of transport, including cars, buses, vans, or large trucks.

These weapons are used to kill people or damage buildings. Some are designed to target the people inside the vehicle itself. Others are used to target people and property outside the vehicle. A driver might park the vehicle to hide the bomb and allow them to escape. In other cases, the vehicle is used to deliver the bomb through a suicide attack.

There are many ways to make a car bomb explode. Some are connected to the car's ignition system. Others use a timing device so the person can leave the area safely. Remote detonation is another common method. Some bombs are triggered by physical actions, like opening a door or pressing a brake pedal.

One specific method uses a tilt fuse. A tilt fuse is a small tube made of glass or plastic. It contains mercury that moves when the vehicle bumps or turns. This movement completes an electrical circuit and sets off the explosion. The gasoline in a vehicle's fuel tank can also make an explosion more powerful by igniting the fuel.

Using vehicles to carry explosives has a long history. In the 16th century, Dutch forces used "hellburners." These were ships filled with explosives used against Spanish forces in Antwerp. Later, people used horse carts to carry bombs. An unsuccessful attempt to kill Napoleon in 1800 used a bomb in a horse cart. In 1905, an assassination attempt on Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II used a car.

The first reported car bombing occurred in 1927 in Michigan. Andrew Kehoe used a truck to carry explosives during the Bath School bombings. This event killed 45 people and destroyed half of a school.

Different groups have used car bombs for many different political or religious reasons. In 1939, the Irgun group used donkeys to carry explosives in a market in Haifa. The Lehi group later used car bombs in urban warfare.

During the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) used car bombs extensively. PIRA leader Seán Mac Stíofáin described the weapon as both tactical and strategic. Tactically, it forces security forces to focus on urban areas. Strategically, it aims to disrupt a government and damage its economic structure.

Some attacks have caused massive loss of life. In 1983, a suicide bombing in Beirut killed 241 U.S. and 58 French peacekeepers. In 1995, a truck bomb in Oklahoma City destroyed a building and killed 168 people.

During the Lebanese Civil War, an estimated 3,641 car bombs were detonated. In the autumn of 2005, there were 140 car bombings happening every month in some regions. These numbers show how much damage these devices can cause when used in large quantities.

In recent conflicts, the technology has become more advanced. During the Iraqi and Syrian Civil Wars, groups used Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices, or SVBIEDs. These are vehicles that are armored to protect the driver from gunfire.

This armor can cover the wheels and include small slits for vision. Some vehicles even have metal grating to protect against rocket-propelled grenades. These armored vehicles are often used to attack military troops or fortified outposts.

Cities use many methods to defend against these attacks. They use roadblocks, checkpoints, and concrete blocks called Jersey barriers. Some places use bollards or metal barriers to stop vehicles.

In London, the entrance to Downing Street has been closed to the public since 1991. In Washington, D.C., parts of Pennsylvania Avenue are closed to traffic. These defenses help keep vehicles a safe distance from important buildings. Hardening buildings to withstand explosions is another way to increase safety.