When you're locked out of your car, the lock is rarely the real danger. The risks come from where you are standing, who is around you, what (or who) is still inside the vehicle and how you try to get back in. This guide covers the safety side of a car lockout: what to do in the first few minutes, how to stay safe at night or at the roadside, which DIY tricks to avoid and the everyday habits that keep it from happening again. For the basic step-by-step on getting back into the vehicle, see our guide on what to do when you're locked out of your car.
Locked out right now and somewhere safe? Call (613) 707-4884.
First: Is Anyone Locked Inside?
If a child or a pet is locked in the vehicle, this is not a locksmith call first. It is an emergency call. Call 911 right away, tell the dispatcher a child or animal is locked in a car and give your exact location.
- Children: Transport Canada warns that a child's body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult's, and that heatstroke in a vehicle can set in within minutes. Its advice is plain: if you see a child unattended in a vehicle, call 911. Health Canada adds that the inside of a parked car can become dangerously hot even on days when the outdoor temperature feels moderate.
- Pets: The Government of Ontario's animal welfare guidance lists an animal left unattended in a hot or cold vehicle as a situation for 911, because a life may be in immediate danger.
Stay with the vehicle, keep talking to the child if they can hear you, and follow the dispatcher's instructions. Emergency responders will decide whether to force entry; a damaged window is a far smaller problem than heat or cold exposure.
Get Yourself Somewhere Safe
Once you know nobody is trapped inside, your next priority is your own safety while you wait.
- At the roadside: Move well away from traffic, ideally behind a guardrail or onto a sidewalk or grassy area. Do not stand between the car and passing vehicles. Without your keys you may not be able to switch on the hazard lights, so make yourself visible and stay out of the travel lanes. If you feel the location is dangerous, call police.
- At night: Wait somewhere lit and populated, such as a store entrance, gas station or lobby, rather than beside the car in a dark lot. Keep your phone charged and use it sparingly.
- Tell someone: Text a friend or family member where you are and who you have called. Many phones let you share your live location for a set period.
- Be careful with strangers: Politely decline offers from passers-by to "pop the lock" for you. You don't know their intentions, and an untrained attempt can damage the car.
Avoid Risky DIY Entry Methods
Coat hangers, slim jims, wedges and screwdrivers are popular in movies, but on modern vehicles they cause real problems. Door panels hide wiring, window regulators, lock linkages and, in many models, side-impact airbag components and sensors. Prying a door frame can bend it and leave a permanent wind or water leak, and forcing a wedge can crack glass or tear weatherstripping.
Breaking a window yourself is even more dangerous. Side glass is designed to shatter into many small pieces, which can still cut hands and faces and end up throughout the interior. Leave forced entry to emergency services when a life is at risk, and to trained professionals otherwise.
Check Out the Locksmith Before You Hand Over Access
A lockout leaves you in a hurry, which is exactly when it pays to slow down for a moment:
- Look up the business yourself rather than calling a number someone hands you at the scene.
- Ask on the phone for the company name and an estimate, and what factors could change it (vehicle type, time of day, location).
- When the technician arrives, check that the name on their vehicle or paperwork matches the business you called.
- Expect to be asked for identification and proof that the vehicle is yours, such as your driver's licence and ownership or registration once the door is open. A reputable locksmith asks because it protects you from someone else opening your car.
- Ask for a written receipt when the job is done.
Everyday Habits That Prevent Lockouts
Most lockouts come down to a moment of distraction. A few small habits remove most of the risk:
- Keys in hand before the door closes. Make it a rule never to shut a door unless you can feel your key or fob in your hand or pocket.
- Never leave the key in the ignition or the fob in a cup holder while you step out, even "just for a second" at the gas pump or mailbox.
- Learn your car's auto-lock behaviour. Many vehicles relock automatically if a door isn't opened shortly after unlocking, and some lock when you walk away. Your owner's manual explains how your model behaves and whether the setting can be changed.
- Replace a weak fob battery early. A fob that only works up close is a warning sign; see our guide on a key fob that isn't working.
- Keep a spare key with someone you trust, not in a magnetic box under the bumper where a thief can find it. Our article on why a spare key matters explains the options.
- Save your roadside assistance details (insurer, auto club or manufacturer program) in your phone, so you are not searching for them in the dark.
Your Next Step
If no one is in danger and you're somewhere safe, a professional car lockout service can open most vehicles without damage. Learn how our car lockout service works, or call (613) 707-4884 and tell us your vehicle and location. If a child or pet is inside, hang up and call 911 first.
Sources: Transport Canada, Dangers of hot vehicles and children; Health Canada, Keep children cool; Government of Ontario, Animal welfare.