Operator Error: What to Do When You Lock Your Keys in Your Car

In today’s busy world, it can be hard to deal with cumbersome challenges. This is true, in particular, when it comes to getting locked out of your car on a busy day and you’re left wondering “what to do when you lock your keys in your car?”

Imagine you’re already running late for a big presentation. You don’t want to have to handle this new problem.

Of course, you might now be wondering what to do when you lock your keys in your car. Well, the good news is you’ve come to the right place by reading this article. Detailed below is everything you need to know about what to do after getting locked out of your car.

It’s true that there are modern, high-tech ways to handle getting locked out of cars these days. Still, experts suggest that some of these solutions aren’t safe enough. Keep reading, then, to learn how to protect yourself and your belongings after getting locked out.

The First Thing to Remember Is to Stay Calm and Focused

Locking your keys in your car can be one of the worsts parts of an already bad day. In some cases, it can even pose a threat to the immediate safety of yourself or someone else. Remember, though, that you’re not alone in locking yourself out of your car.

In fact, AAA came to the rescue of over four million people locked out of cars in the year 2012. That number only includes the members of a single company, too.

When you recognize that you’ve made the mistake of locking yourself out, be sure to stay calm. There are a couple of different solutions available to you. If no one is trapped in the car, you might not even need to break a window.

Once it happens, take the time to think about how much of an emergency the situation is. Running late is different than leaving your child locked in the car, as an example.

If there’s no clear top priority, it’s okay to take a moment, relax, and consider what’s next. Then, you can work on finding and hiring a qualified locksmith.

If You’re in Danger, Get to Safety

Staying calm when nothing is really at risk is one thing that can be fairly simple. Staying calm when you’re in actual danger is another challenge altogether.

One dangerous situation could be when a young woman is out alone at night in a part of town that isn’t well-lit. In this case, it might be easier for the young woman to wait near her car for a locksmith or friend with a spare key. At the same time, she might feel unsafe in a certain parking garage.

For that reason, she should leave the area of her car and seek shelter somewhere else. No matter what, she should prioritize her safety.

It might be smarter to wait nearby at a convenience store or something while she waits for a friend to pick her up. In some cases, reaching out to the police when threatened is important, too.

If You Have a Spare Key, Access It Immediately

Of course, the most convenient solution for this problem would be if you had a spare key on hand. Many people, for this reason, invest in magnetic key holders.

Then, they place these holders underneath the car somewhere out of sight. If they lock themselves out of their car on accident, the spare key is close by.

Perhaps you don’t like the idea of keeping your spare key underneath your car where just anyone can find it. That’s okay because there are other solutions for you.

One idea is to leave your spare key with a trusted family member or friend. Whenever we purchase a car, most consumers are given two keys that open and operate it. Leave the spare key at home for emergencies like locking yourself out of the car.

If you don’t live with anyone else, have a friend take you to and from your home to grab the car key and unlock it. At the very least, you can take an Uber home and back to accomplish the same thing.

See If Your Insurance Policy Covers the Cost of a Locksmith

One key practice whenever dealing with your car is to check your insurance policy. You might be covered, which could help you relax when it comes to the cost of a potential locksmith.

Consider the following statistic regarding locksmith services throughout the United States. It indicates that in the year 2019 alone, the industry generated $2 billion in revenue. In other words, it’s worthwhile to research whether this cost might be covered by your insurance policy.

In the event that you do lock your keys in your car more than once, it might be time to take preventative measures. Including the costs of a locksmith in your auto insurance policy would be wise.

Your Insurance Provider Might Cover the Cost of Getting a Tow, Too

In fact, your insurance policy might even cover the cost of a tow! This is of particular benefit if you have a spare key at home and aren’t in any rush. Calling for a tow to take you to your home would be, in essence, free with the right insurance policy.

That’s why insurance providers like AAA take pride in offering this coverage option for their members. It can be of particular convenience when you need to get home but can’t drive your car. A quick tow to your home would solve both of those problems without any cost to you.

What to Do When You Lock Your Keys in Your Car in Bad Weather

Sometimes, locking ourselves out of the car can come at the absolute worst times. This can be true when we’re stuck in a really bad storm, for instance.

Imagine you’re out with friends and a storm starts to brew. When you’re ready to leave, the storm is at its full force with powerful winds and even hail. As you’re walking to your car in the middle of the storm, you realize that you have instead left your keys locked in that car.

Well, there’s no point in hanging out in the severe weather any longer. Go back inside the restaurant and wait for a locksmith.

In these major storms, don’t get discouraged if you don’t have access to a tow truck right away. Even tow truck drivers need to be careful on the roads during a storm, after all. Be patient and know that your help will arrive soon enough.

If a Child or Pet Is Still in the Car, It’s Okay to Break a Window

Note that there are some instances when extreme measures need to be taken immediately. Sometimes when you lock your keys in the car, it becomes an actual emergency. This is the case when it comes to locking the car while another living being is trapped inside of it.

Of course, it’s no secret that the safety of a child takes priority over that of a pet. Either way, though, it’s okay to break the car window when you need to.

This is of particular importance when it comes to days that have above or below-average temperatures. Hot days can cause a child or pet locked inside a car to get dehydrated and maybe pass out. On cold days, he or she could start to freeze if you’re not willing to break a window.

In the long run, the cost of replacing that window is nothing compared to the cost of losing a life. Make sure when you do you have to break the window, you do so in a secure manner.

Start by looking for an object around you that could swing and break the window. If nothing presents itself, you’re going to have to use your own hands or those of someone else around who is willing to help.

When someone is about to punch at a car window, make sure those hands are covered up with a cloth. That will protect them from getting scraped or wounded by any broken glass.

Also, make sure you break the glass window as far away from the locked child or pet as possible. That will help avoid an injury to them, too.

Call Emergency Professional Locksmith Services as Soon as Possible When Needed

Perhaps no one is actually trapped in your car when you’re locked out of it. Still, you consider the situation an emergency. Maybe you need to get to your wife who is going into labor or to a big presentation at work.

Sometimes, though, patience isn’t enough to help you in your situation after getting locked out of your car. Instead, calling emergency locksmith services might be in your best interest.

In that case, emergency locksmith services could be the ideal answer for you. When you reach out to these qualified professionals, you can trust that they’ll hurry to help you get into your car again.

Make Sure You Can Trust Your Hired Locksmith

Remember the fact that not all locksmith services are equal. Still, you’re going to have a lot of available locksmith services to choose from.

One report by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics backs that up. It reports over 17,000 employed locksmiths throughout the country. In other words, that’s a vast industry of professionals for you to call when you’re locked out of your car.

Be willing to evaluate the online presence of your potential locksmith. If you can find testimonials or reviews from previous customers, that could be of particular benefit. By reading through them, you can get a great idea as to whether you can trust these services, too.

Plus, you can look at their business’s website and social media profiles. Is it clear that they keep it regularly updated and well-maintained? If so, you can trust that they value connecting with their clients and want you to benefit from that.

One great thing about calling a locksmith is that you can trust their services again in the future. When you’ve hired a reliable locksmith and are impressed with the results, take note. Locking yourself out of your car doesn’t have to terrify you anymore.

After all, that’s why qualified automotive locksmith services exist in the first place. Develop and maintain a relationship with your favorite professional to ensure your lock and key needs are always met.

Be Smart About Preventing Future Potential Break-Ins

At the end of the day, you deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing a locksmith is just a phone call away. Still, it’s worthwhile to start taking more preventative measures to keep yourself and your belongings safe.

For instance, if you haven’t done so already, get a spare key made for your car. Then, leave it with a trusted family member or friend.

There’s no need to cut corners when it comes to maintaining your safety and security. For more detailed guidance, check out this article on steps you can take to prevent future car break-ins.

Hire the Most Reliable Locksmith in Your Area Today

At this point in the article, you have a thorough understanding of what to do when you lock your keys in your car. This unfortunate challenge doesn’t have to be overwhelming. As frustrating as it might be, there are steps you can take to make the process as seamless as possible.

That’s why you should consider hiring a reliable locksmith sooner rather than later. You deserve to access your car as soon as possible.

Don’t try and break into the vehicle yourself to save time or money. Instead, leave it to the professionals who know what they’re doing and who can avoid damaging your car.

In fact, that’s where we can come into play. We prioritize bringing customers like you the most reliable and available locksmith services on the market. If you need to get into your car – or even your home – we’re going to be your best bet.

For that reason, we encourage you to browse through the rest of our website to see how we can benefit you. To start, check out more details about our general lock services available.

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