What To Do If You Get Locked Out of Your Car

Getting locked out of your car can be a royal pain in the proverbial posterior, but it’s important that when this happens, you try not to panic and follow the above tips to get back in your car as quickly as possible:

Ask yourself if you’re really locked out of your car:

It might sound silly, but it can be easy to panic when you think you’re locked out of your car, when in reality, the keys could be in the trunk, have dropped on the floor, or could even be in another door. Also think carefully about who might have a spare key for your car. These quick double checks could prevent you from having to call a locksmith.

Think about the dangers of unlocking your car door yourself:

While it is possible to get into your car yourself using the methods below, it’s much less risky to call up a licensed locksmith and have them get you into your car with minimal damage and zero inconvenience.

• Opening the door with a pump wedge

A tool typically used by professionals, it allows you to slip a small tool in and press the unlock button by inflating to create a gap between the door and the frame of the car. In the wrong hands, this tool can cause a lot of damage.

• Using a coat hanger

Relying on you being able to create a small gap between the door and the car frame, a coat hanger is a common method for getting into locked cars, but if you get it wrong, you could make matters a whole lot worse by causing damage to your car.

• Going to the extreme and breaking a window

Auto glass is hard to break; windshields are shatter resistant and the side glass is tempered by the manufacturer, and you’ll need a seriously sharp tool to break the window. Unless you are in an emergency situation, such as a person or pet is trapped inside the car in extreme temperatures, you should never attempt to break any of the windows on your car to unlock the door.

Think about what your break-in attempt may look like!

If someone sees you trying to force entry into your car, they may assume a theft is taking place and report you to the police! This can become even more complicated if your wallet or purse are locked inside the car and you can’t quickly prove your identity.

Call an auto locksmith