What To Do If You Have Locked Car Keys in Your Car

Locking your keys in your car is an easy mistake to make, but if you’re out in the middle of nowhere miles from anyone, it’s not an easy situation to fix. It’s likely that your house keys will also be on the keyring that’s trapped in the car, so it’s important that you find a way to get them out.

We will give you some tips and advice on what to do when you have locked your keys in your car.

Should I Break-In?

This is NOT something we would recommend, don’t try to force the lock or door as you could cause damage. It’s also very dangerous to try and break the window as you can injure yourself or others.

There are many ways you can retrieve your keys from a locked car, but if you break the window or lock then you are going to have to pay a lot of money for repairs. Not to mention you may have invalidated your car insurance and be unable to make a claim.

Should I Call the Police?

If you lock your keys in your car, the general advice is NOT to call 911 as it’s not considered an emergency. It’s better to try and find a spare key or call an auto locksmith to handle the situation.

However, if you have locked your keys in the car on a particularly hot or cold day and there is someone vulnerable inside, such as a small child or animal, then you may need to phone the police.

You’ll need to use your judgment about how serious the situation is and if you feel there is a danger to life or health then call 911 for assistance. This is also the case if your car is stuck somewhere dangerous, such as a slip road, or if it is blocking access and is at risk of being hit.

Should I Call My Insurance?

It’s often not the best option to call your insurer as there is not much they can do for you if you are stuck somewhere. However, if you have ‘key cover’ as part of your car insurance policy, then you may wish to call them as they might be able to offer you a car key replacement. But if your keys are only locked in your car, then you should be able to retrieve them without the need to replace them.

Should I Call Roadside Assistance?

If you are a member of a roadside assistance company such as the AAA, then you might be able to call them for help. They will attempt to unlock your car and gain access without causing any damage. But if they are unable to gain access, they will often call an auto locksmith.

Should I Call an Auto Locksmith?

The answer is YES. The best way to resolve the issue of your keys being locked in your car is to call an auto locksmith. They are specially trained and have the equipment necessary to open a car without a key. They should be able to gain access to your car without causing any damage and reunite you with your keys.

The information will need to provide by the auto locksmith is the make and model of your car, where the keys are, and how old your vehicle is. This is because the locksmith will use different techniques to gain entry to older cars.