What You Should Do When You Get Locked Out of Your Vehicle

Getting locked out of your vehicle can be a frustrating and stressful experience. This is something that many of us will inevitably face as drivers. Whether you misplaced your keys, accidentally locked them inside, or encountered a malfunctioning lock, take a deep breath, and take the appropriate steps to get back into your car. The general process that anyone locked out of their vehicle should follow is as follows:

• Assess the Situation: The first thing that you should do is take a moment to assess the situation. If you're in a safe and well-lit area, take a moment to gather your thoughts and consider your options. Check your windows to see if any are open enough to get you back into your vehicle. If you cannot regain access on your own, you should contact an auto locksmith to come to get you back on the road.

• Stay Safe and Seek Help: Safety is always your number one concern. If you find yourself locked out in an unfamiliar or unsafe area, prioritize your safety. Move to a well-lit and populated area and seek out help. Stay in the safe area while you wait for help to arrive.

• Use a Spare Key: Generally, when you buy a vehicle, it comes with a spare key. This is certainly true when you buy a new vehicle at a dealership. However, private sales may or may not come with a spare key. We always recommend having a spare key created for you if you don’t already have one. It is great to have one in an emergency like this. You can keep the key at home, with a trusted friend or family member, or in a hidden key box. When you are locked out, you can then simply go retrieve your key from wherever you have it stored.

• Contact a Professional Locksmith: If you cannot get back into your car, call your local auto lock-out service to get you back in your vehicle. They are trained to quickly unlock your vehicle without causing any damage.

• Check for Roadside Assistance Coverage: If you have roadside assistance coverage from your auto insurance provider or another service like AAA, they can dispatch a professional to come unlock your vehicle.

• Prevent Future Lockouts: The best thing that you can do is to prevent a lockout from occurring at all. A few simple proactive steps you can take to do that is to have a spare key or invest in a keyless entry system.