Locked out of your car? Do these four things first.

Stranded next to your car with the keys staring at you through the window is a special kind of frustration. Before you reach for a coat hanger, take sixty seconds and run through these four things.

1. Take a breath and check your pockets twice.

It sounds silly, but more keys are found than fished out of cars. Coat pockets, the driver’s seat, between the seat and the console.

2. Check every door, the trunk, and the hatch.

It’s not unusual for a rear door or hatch to be unlocked even when the front is buttoned up.

3. If you’re in a safe place, call a locksmith.

If you’re in a parking lot, gas station, or driveway, just call. We can open the large majority of cars without a scratch, faster and cheaper than a tow.

4. If you’re somewhere unsafe, call 911 first.

A locked car in a dark or isolated spot is a safety call, not a locksmith call. Get help first; we’ll come after.

Filed under Automotive · Written by Fred