Myth: Cars Provide Bulletproof Cover
Thanks to decades of Hollywood action sequences, many people believe that a car door is as effective as a concrete wall during a shootout. This is a dangerous misconception. In reality, the sheet metal used in modern vehicle construction is quite thin. While a door might stop a low-velocity .22 caliber round, almost any standard handgun or rifle caliber will punch through both sides of a car door with ease.
This isn’t to say a car offers zero protection, but you have to be strategic. The only parts of a vehicle that offer significant ballistic resistance are the engine block and the heavy steel wheels. If you ever find yourself in a crisis, remember that hiding behind the door is mostly a psychological comfort; you need to get the heavy mechanical components between yourself and the threat.