handling the cover based shooting sections of Watch Dogs more effectively

While playing Watch Dogs, I've noticed I'm struggling with the cover based shooting mechanics of the game. I find that when I take it at a slow pace, the enemy tends to flank and overwhelm me. I usually just end up getting frustrated at the combat and trying to run away from the fights, which doesn't usually end well. This leads to more dying and more frustration.

I already have the difficulty set to the lowest, but I'm still somewhat struggling with the combat. I'm surprised by this because I usually enjoy cover based shooting, but Watch Dogs just feels different for some reason. It might be because some of the shootouts are ambushes, which I find trickier to deal with.

What advice and tactics is recommended to handle the cover based shooting sections of Watch_Dogs more effectively?