Despite your best efforts, it’s actually quite easy to lock yourself out of the car. It happens regularly on a daily basis to many people around the UK and can fill you with a sense of panic when you realize your keys are still in the ignition but you can’t open the door. What can compound things is that all your other keys are probably going to be on that ring causing extra anxiety.
Many cars nowadays have doors that lock automatically after they’ve been closed for a while. This is great for maintaining your security but something of a problem if you have jumped out to get something and left your keys inside.
According to the RAC, the number of calls they have had for people locked out of their cars has decreased quite a bit over the last few years. That’s good news for motorists everywhere but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen and it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take some general precautions.
Check Before You Exit
It might not be the easiest thing to do but get into the habit of checking your pocket when you get out of the car. Do it often enough and it becomes second nature which means you’ll often recognize when you don’t have your keys on you. Of course, there will be those moments when your mind is elsewhere and you forget – it happens to us all at some point or another.
Don’t Put Your Keys Down
If you’re in work or out on the town, it’s pretty easy to put your keys down somewhere and forget about them. Most cases of getting locked out of the car are because the person has mislaid their keys. Keep them in your pocket or attach them to your belt with a chain – it may look a bit nerdy but at least you’ll know where they are.
Get a Spare Key
If you haven’t already got one, then have a spare key cut for your car. You can either carry this on you in case you lock yourself out away from home or have it stashed in a safe place for emergencies. Most people keep their spare car key at home but what happens if you’re the only one living there and you lock all your keys in the car? If this is the case, you might want to leave a copy with a trusted neighbour. There are options where you can buy a magnetic box which you can actually place somewhere on your car to hold the key but we don’t advise this method for obvious reasons.
Have a Locksmith Number Handy (0800 634 9163!)
Most people resign themselves to the fact that they might lock themselves out at some time but that doesn’t stop you being prepared. Having the contact details of a local locksmith on your mobile phone means you’ll spend less time searching around for a suitable company if the worst comes to the worst.
While locking yourself out of the car isn’t the end of the world, it can be a big inconvenience. Follow the tips above if you want to make sure you get your keys back as quickly as possible.
