More and more Americans are bulletproofing their cars as crime and lawlessness worsen

 More and more Americans are bulletproofing their cars as crimes and lawlessness hound big cities, particularly in blue states like California.

The armored car industry used to cater only the country’s wealthiest, but now even ordinary Americans are making sure their personal vehicles are bulletproofed.  One company experiencing massive growth is Armormax, founded in 1993. The company’s business once catered almost exclusively to clients from Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa and across the Middle East. The firm would fortify vehicles for prime ministers, presidents and businessmen.

“It’s been pretty shocking,” said Armormax CEO Mark Burton. “I would say it really started about 18 months ago. It used to be politicians and CEOs. Almost all international. Now we’re bulletproofing Honda Accords.”

Burton noted that one other impetus for people to get their cars bulletproofed is the increasing number of violent crime incidents involving people getting shot while in their cars.

“When they see things like this happening, people are deciding that safety is worth the expense,” he said. “They want a mobile fortress.”

Burton noted how he has gotten so many domestic inquiries that he now recognizes certain recurring area codes, including the Los Angeles metro area. Burton claimed that for every order he gets from Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria and the entire African continent, his company gets another one from Los Angeles.

“I have kids,” said one woman from Los Angeles who is picking up her newly armored SUV from Armormax’s Utah plant in June. “No one gets punished for anything anymore, so these incidents are only going to increase. That seems pretty obvious. So I think it’s just a sensible thing to do.”

One other Armormax client from Las Vegas named Sean said he had his Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon fully bulletproofed last year.

“Big city crime, road rage, shootings, carjackings,” said Sean. “I drive my car down to The Strip every day, there’s been a lot of incidents here. I feel safer. It was well worth it and I would do it again.”

Bulletproof vehicle market to keep growing for next few years

An analysis of the bulletproof vehicle market shows that this sector of the market is expected to grow annually by as much as 10.2 percent each year from 2023 until 2030.

The report pointed to the increase in social tensions and global political instability as the main drivers for the increase in demand for armored vehicles, notably the Russian special military operation in Ukraine and the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

These two events have created “a heightened sense of uncertainty and insecurity,” hence the increased demand for bulletproof vehicles. This trend is expected to continue as geopolitical tensions remain heightened and societies around the world continue to teeter on the brink of collapse.

“The growth expectations for the bulletproof vehicle market are high due to increasing demand from various sectors, including government agencies, law enforcement and private individuals,” stated the report. “The major benefactors of this increased demand are likely to be armored manufacturers and suppliers who can provide high-quality, reliable armored vehicles.”