If you have ever been locked out your car, you will understand how annoying and frustrating it is. Nobody wants to be locked out and nobody ever expects it! Here we take a look at what to do if you ever get locked out of your car.
Here are some quick dos and don’ts.
Dos
- Call 999 if you feel that you are in immediate danger
- Break in by force if you have a pet or a child locked inside the car
- Stay inside/closeby to the vehicle or a safe place
- Call an auto locksmith
Don’ts
- Don’t panic or put yourself in any danger
- Don’t try to break into it if it’s empty
- Don’t stay inside the car if it’s dangerous
- Don’t call the police if it’s not an emergency
How do people manage to get locked out of their cars?
Why do drivers get locked out of their vehicles and how frequently does it happen? It happens to around 1/10 drivers in the UK every year. It may seem like a small number but being locked out of your car can be very frustrating and cause many more problems.
Here are some of the reasons why drivers get locked out of their car:
- Forget the car keys in the ignition or inside the vehicle
- The door lock gets broken or jammed
- Remote keyless entry stops working
- Your passengers accidentally leave the keys inside
- You misplace or lose your car keys
Should any of the above happen to you, it’s important that you don’t panic, but you try and find a solution. Most of these problems can be solved by yourself or a specialist locksmith.
What to do if you are locked out of your car
Should you have been locked out of your vehicle, there are some things that you can do:
Use a spare key
First you need to see if you have got a spare key anywhere closeby. Or if a family member or friend can bring it to you. We recommend that you get this key copied again so you have another backup.
Call the police
You should be aware of your surroundings, whether it’s night or day, you’re in a busy area, or you are at the side of the road in a quiet area, this will all depend on what you should do if you are locked out of your car.
If you think that you might be in any immediate danger you should call the police, maybe your car is parked in a dark unlit place that is known for crime, you won’t want to be left waiting any longer than you need to. If it’s unsafe to be near your car, you should move to a well-lit and safer area. You may want to consider going to a petrol station or a shop and asking if you can wait there, however this will all depend on your location, it’s important to ensure that you are safe.
Remember that when calling the police with a vehicle lockout, it’s a safety issue. The police may try and help you to regain access to your vehicle or organise a tow truck or other type of roadside assistance.
Is a child or pet locked inside the vehicle
If you aren’t in any immediate danger yourself, the next thing is whether you’ve got a pet or a child locked inside the car, a small child might be able to unlock the door for you, but an infant in a car seat won’t be helped, neither will a pet.
On hot days or if your child or pet is in danger, you should think about gaining entry to the car, you can smash the side door window to rescue them, this can be done with a hammer or a crowbar or even a sharp rock. You can smash the door window from the edges where the glass will be the weakest, don’t smash the windshield as they have been designed to be strong and sustain impacts. This means that the side door glass will shatter so you will need to use caution and shatter the window in a way that won’t affect whoever is inside.
Call for roadside assistance
If you have full car insurance that covers lockouts, you can call for emergency roadside assistance, depending on your insurance policy and what it includes, you may have to wait an hour or so and pay a premium.
Not all insurance policies will cover vehicle lockouts, it’s usually an add on feature, so if you’re not covered then you may find an automotive locksmith yourself. Many new vehicles come with lockouts that are part of their warranty, so your car dealer can help you. However this may not include late at night or during an emergency. You can also get coverage from your credit card, so consider these options before you make a decision.
Call an auto locksmith
One of the best ways to get access to your car is to call a qualified and reliable locksmith who specialises in cars. Most automotive locksmiths tend to be unknown as they will work for roadside assistance companies or insurance providers.
At Keycraft Locksmiths we are genuine auto locksmiths who work across the local area of Sittingbourne and Kent. We provide affordable services at competitive prices, we are renowned for the excellent services that we provide and are also vetted and approved. For more information on our services, please get in touch with our team today.
