5 Steps to Take If You’ve Locked Your Keys — and Your Child — in Your Car

Locking your keys in your car is a very stressful experience. This stress is even worse if your child is in the car with your keys. However, this isn’t a problem if your child s old enough to unlock the car from the inside. But, if you have a young baby in the car, locking them in the car is a massive cause for concern.

Follow these steps in the event that you accidentally lock your child and your keys in the car for a safe resolution.

1. Look for a Spare Key

In a panic, you might forget that your cars may come with a spare key. When locking keys in the car with your kid, it’s easy to panic. So, the first step if you lock your keys in the car is to check for a spare key. Your spare key might be at home, and you can call someone to bring your key to you.

2. Call a Towing Company

If you can’t get to your spare key, or if you don’t have one, call a towing company—they can unlock your car for you. When you call, you’ll need to ask if they offer lockout service. Not every tow truck company offers this service—some will only tow away your car, which isn’t helpful in this situation.

A big plus is that towing companies are usually open 24 hours a day, so you’ll always have someone to help you. 

3. Contact a Locksmith

If there’s isn’t a local towing company you can use, call a locksmith. Locksmiths can unlock cars, as well as household and other locks. But if there is a towing company nearby that can help, call them first, as a locksmith may take longer to arrive.

4. Phone Your Car Dealer

You could also contact your car dealer, who can help during a lockout in different ways. For example, your car dealer may have a spare key you can use to open your car and get your child out. Depending on your car’s make and model, they might even be able to unlock it without a key. Some cars have keyless entry, and car dealers can unlock your car without a spare key.

Even if your car dealer doesn’t have a spare key you can use, it’s likely they will be willing to find a way to help you unlock your car.

5. Call Emergency Services

If it’s a hot day or your child has health concerns, you should call the police to get in your car. The last thing you want is for your child (or pet) to overheat and get sick in a hot car. The police can always unlock your car in the case of an emergency.

Final Thoughts

Getting locked out of your car is an extremely stressful and potentially dangerous situation, especially if you are a parent or pet owner. Take the steps now to ensure that you have a backup key in the event that you ever lock yourself out of your car.