Did you ever find yourself accidentally locked out of your car? Were you near your home or out of state, stranded someplace unfamiliar in the middle of the night? How did you get out of the pickle? Would you like to know how to never have to go through something like that again? These next few tips for car lockout prevention should come in handy.
Tip #1: Determine If You Are REALLY Locked Out Of Your Car
The question might sound silly, but trust us, we've come across quite a few people who gave us a call and desperately asked for our help before they even bothered to check all locks and determine if they were truly locked out or not. It's understandable; trying the lock on the driver's door a couple of times with no success and seeing your keys on the front seat or in the ignition most likely means you are locked out. Also, not being able to find your car keys also probably means you're in trouble.
However, it can never hurt to try, just to know for sure. Plus, sometimes, you might just be in luck and discover one of the doors is still open and you can access your vehicle after all. Or your keys might be in a different pocket than the one you usually put them into. Or maybe you simply slipped your mind and forget your keychain behind the dining table of the last restaurant you visited.
Keep your cool, take a few deep breaths and be 100^% sure you cannot enter your car using any spare keys, the trunk or any door that might be unlocked. The more anxious you are, the less likely you are to find your lost or misplaced keys. If you have determined without a shed of a doubt that you are locked out, you can call our emergency number and provide us with your location or GPS coordinates. We are available 24/7 and we can reach any location within 30 minutes from placing a call with our friendly customer support.
Tip #2: Practice Mindfulness When Driving
Do not let your mind wander off when behind the steering wheel or parking your car, no matter if it's your home garage, the driveway near your home or the office parking lot. Since you are parking, driving, locking and unlocking your car several times a day, it has turned into an automated process you barely pay any attention to. Often times, it feels like you are driving on autopilot as you cannot remember when passed a regular milestone on your way to work or when and where you last parked your car. It's scary to have your mind wander off uncontrollably and it can also prove to be dangerous for a number of reasons. From car crashes to forgetting to lock your car, enable the alarm, pull the keys out of the ignition switch, or where you've parked, there is no telling what could jeopardize the security of your car.
Make it a habit to be in the moment and focus on exactly what are you doing at the present time. Do not slip into future plans, daydream or fall into a bucket filled with melancholy when you are supposed to park your car or secure it with the key, alarm, steering wheel or wheels locks. Be fully conscious of everything you are doing and everything you are supposed to be doing – pull the keys out of the ignition, place them in the interior pocket inside your bag where you always place them after parking, take a picture of the lot number if you are using a huge parking lot and so on.
It would help to write down a post-it note you can place somewhere visible inside the car and read it periodically to remind yourself of exactly what you should do.
Tip #3: Fix Any Broken Locks or Transponder Keys On Your Car
To make sure you will not be dealing with any car lockout problems in the future, see that have your locking systems inspected by a professional locksmith that specializes in automotive services. Here are a few of the main things that could cause your ca locks to stop working the right way and potentially make you lock yourself out of your car:
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The wear-and-tear factor because of repetitive daily use
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Improper use of the locks with the wrong key or a damaged key
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Rusty lock cylinders
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Heavy keychains
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Electronic faults in the lock's mechanism
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Various forms of impact such as light car crashes
Get in touch with your regular car mechanic and hire an appointment or hire the services of a trained and authorized lock technician who can assist you straight away. If you notice your keys have started to remain stuck in the locks every now and then or you cannot remember when was the last time you had someone inspect your locks, it is time you did something about it.
Tip #4: Use A Light, But Bulky Or Colorful Key Chain
It should be something that immediately pops up or makes a sound that can draw your attention in case you are to accidentally leave your keys behind when parking your vehicle. Focus on adding some clinking items made of metal to your regular key chain so you can be sure that you will immediately notice the keys in any situation.
Tip #5: Have Spare Keys To Rely On
This way, you will never actually lock yourself out, as you can always grab your spare set of keys and unlock your vehicle. Just make sure you have functioning spares cut my a professional locksmith and keep them somewhere easily reachable.
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