How to avoid getting locked out of your car

As someone who recently got locked out of my still running car (yes that’s right it was still running), I completely understand the panic that fills your world when you get locked out your car on a cold February morning, with your life belongings tucked away inside, and a highly important meeting looming at 9AM.

We all think it won’t happen to us, until one day it actually happens to us, and there you find yourself frantically awakening half the neighbourhood to try and get access to a phone. So what you do want to do is take some preventative measures to avoid this happening. Trust me, I didn’t, and I really learned the hard way.

The first thing you need to do is get a spare key cut. People often think that getting a spare key cut is expensive, especially when modern technology continues to produce super-fancy remote keys in all different colours, shapes and sizes - however it really doesn’t need to be. Find a local locksmith that specialises in cutting keys for your car as the chances are they will be a great deal cheaper than your local car dealership. The good thing about local locksmiths are they are also usually mobile which means they can cut your key at your doorstep, so you won’t have to part with your keys for long.

The next thing to do is to stash that key somewhere safe, and I don’t mean in the house as chances are your house keys will be attached to your car keys that get locked in the car. I also don’t mean under a mat, plant, mailbox, or any other highly accessible areas. The best place to leave that key is with a neighbour or friend nearby, or if you’re not completely comfortable with that, get a house key cut with your car key carefully hidden away at home, and leave that with them instead. 

If you still aren’t comfortable with this option, then the next best option is to get an outdoor key safe that can be secured to you wall. These are code protected so are a great way of storing a spare key to your house or car in case of an emergency (just don’t forget the code!).

In case you actually do manage to get locked out your car, as a back-up it’s a great idea to have an emergency local locksmith’s number stored in your phone, unless of course you manage to lock your mobile phone in the car as well (yes that happened too). Remember, don’t try breaking into your car yourself as you will end up causing damage to your vehicle, and then things will really start to get expensive. For isntance, if you're in Florida, you can check out A&B Locksmiths, as they offer a variety of locksmith services for emergencies just like this.

So there we have it, a few quick tips (from someone with first hand experience) on what to do to avoid getting locked out your car, and what to do in the worst case scenario.

If you need a local locksmith that covers the Exeter and Devon area, then give Lockfix24 a call on 01392 409449, or alternatively visit their website at http://www.lockfix24.co.uk/.

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