Protecting structural components and infrastructures, especially in harsh environments and disaster-prone regions, is a growing challenge, that is exacerbated by the climate crisis. Current solutions often prove costly and complex, limiting their applications especially in developing countries. This research highlights the progress in developing advanced protective systems using traditional elastomers and non-Newtonian polymers (Shear Stiffening Gels -SSG) incorporated into impact-vulnerable structures. By introducing these polymers, it is possible to dynamically enhance the mechanical response of a structure when subjected to external loads, stopping the propagation of internal cracks while also enabling non-structural properties such as damage detection and autonomous healing. This approach is easy to integrate into existing structures making it very versatile for novel civil applications and structural components in the build environment. The adaptability of this approach has great potentiality for swift intervention in disaster-stricken areas.