A body and any occupant of a land vehicle (10) is protected against effects of a landmine explosion, by conducting shock waves laterally outwardly by means of one or more shock wave guide members (16, 18) of a material having high acoustic velocity, and located proximate a ground engaging element (12) of the vehicle. The material may be glass, ceramic or the like having an acoustic velocity of about 6000 m/sec or more, i.e. higher than other materials of other components of the land vehicle. Shock waves encounter less resistance in high-acoustic velocity materials and are thus conducted laterally outwardly, i.e. away from the body. The shock wave guide members may be located immediately above bottom runs of tracks (12) and annularly within wells of bogey wheels (14) of track vehicles; and annularly around hubs or within tyres of wheels of wheeled vehicles.