5 Tips to Follow so You Never Get Locked Out of Your Car
January 11, 2016
Life is great, and nothing could possibly go wrong. You just got a promotion at work, and now you're about to enjoy a romantic dinner with your significant other. You walk to your car and dig in your handbag for your keys. And you keep digging. Then it hits you-you locked your keys in the car.
Getting locked out of your car is overwhelming and time consuming. And if you accidentally lock a child in the car, it can be dangerous.
Here are some tips you can follow to make sure this situation never happens to you.
1. Make a Door-Locking Plan
This tip may seem obvious, but following it could make a huge difference in your life. If you follow a routine for how you lock your door every time, you'll be less likely to lock your keys in the car accidentally.
Instead of locking your doors while you're still in the car, wait until you get out of the car to lock your door. As soon as you put your car in park, follow the same pattern: take your keys out of the ignition, gather your things, step out of the car and then lock your doors.
If you make this pattern a habit, you won't lose your keys, even on stressful days.
2. Bring Your Kids With You
When you have kids in the car, locking yourself out goes from merely annoying to extremely dangerous. The interior of parked cars can reach up to 30 degrees hotter than the outdoors. This can cause heat exhaustion and even death.
And this situation is more common that you think. In 2015, the Daily Telegraph reported that 2,000 kids had been locked in cars that year in New South Wales-that's seven kids a day.
Don't ever leave your kids in the car, even if you'll only be gone for five minutes. And if you accidentally lock your kids in the car, call the police.
3. Decide on a Place for Your Keys
The best way to make sure your keys stay with you is to create a place for them. For example, you might always put your keys in your right pants pocket or in the front pocket of your purse. You could even hang them on a lanyard around your neck.
To make sure your keys don't get lost, keep them on a key chain decorated with large, colourful key chain ornaments.
4. Keep a Spare Key
Even if you've created a door-locking plan and designated a consistent spot for your keys, you might still worry about locking them in your car. Many people combat this issue by keeping a spare key.
Some people hide the spare key on the car itself. The best way to do this is to place the key in a magnetic box and stick the box under the car. However, a thief might find your spare key. Instead, you could keep a spare key in your handbag or wallet. Or, you could leave one at home or with a family member or friend.
5. Prepare for the Worst
Even if you follow these tips, you might still lock your keys in the car at some point. If you're prepared to handle the situation, you won't feel quite as stressed or overwhelmed.
Keep the number of your local locksmith saved in your phone. Many locksmiths are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just one call can get you back into your car and back on your way.
Follow these tips to avoid those annoying car lockouts. If you do get locked out of your car, you can count on a locksmith.
