It happens every day; people getting locked out of cars. It’s super nerve racking when it’s a parent with a child in the car.
It happened to me once with my oldest son in the Costco parking lot. I opened the back of our SUV but didn’t unlock the doors; let him climb in while I unloaded. I had set my purse and keys right at the back ledge but forgot to grab them as I closed the back. And that was that. My son was locked in the car…
…Luckily my fore-thinking husband had put a hideaway key under our car which I was finally able to find and get myself back into our car after not too long. -Amie Durocher, Safe Ride 4 Kids, CPS Tech
Have a crazed morning? Rushing your children through breakfast, preparing their lunch for the day, dressing them, dressing yourself and trying to get out of the house with all children in tow along with what you need for work? Were there any arguments? Did you fight with your child to wear a coat in the pouring rain? Then fight with your children about who gets to sit in which car seat? Did you then make your way to work and notice you were missing something essential?
As in, did you have a typical morning at my house?
It’s so easy to get distracted as a parent. You have things getting thrown at you from so many different directions and you need to roll with the punches.
One of my biggest fears as a parent is wondering if I forgot something. Did I shut off the stove? Did I remember to pack enough diapers? Did I remember to bring my wallet? And my favorite: did I remember to bring my keys? Did I accidentally lock my children in the car?
Because it’s happened to me more than once (if you can believe it). I’ve made the panicked phone call to the local locksmith in Tampa to open my car doors.
Below are a few tips to avoid locking your children in the car (I’ve learned the hard way).
- Make sure to take your kids with you. As in, remove them from the vehicle when you go make a quick stop at the supermarket. In some states, like Florida (where the temperatures are generally high) this is mandatory by law. By getting in to the habit of taking your child with you, you’ll remember to take your child out of the car even on your busiest days.
- Never leave your car keys within arms reach of your child. Even when you’re at home. The auto lock on your key fob makes it possible for a child to lock themselves in a car. Always carry spare keys with you and don’t keep your spare on the same key ring as your main key set. Your local locksmith can make a duplicate of most keys for less than what a dealer would charge.
- Ask your child(ren)’s caregiver to give you a call if your child is absent for the day. Sometimes parents head to work and forget that their child is in the car. This is the most dangerous type of lock-in. Being in a hot car for a full workday can be life threatening.
- Always check the car seat each time you leave your car. Some people leave an important item like their phone or wallet on the floor in front of or next to the car seat, so they must look at the car seat each time they leave the car. Other people place a sign on the dashboard. Never assume that you won’t forget.
- Have your local locksmith number programmed in your phone.
Accidents happen even if you take every precaution. America’s Lock and Key is available 24/7 should you ever need their services. We work with emergency services and first responders to quickly and effectively rescue your child from a lock-in situation.
We want to know, have you ever been locked out of your car? Was your child in the car? Share your comments below.
America’s Lock and Key has been operating over 10 years in the Hillsborough County area in Florida. Our services are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and we are available for nearly any locksmith job imaginable.
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This is my first time at your blog I really appreciate you for sharing these useful tips. Thanks for sharing this great information with us. Keep blogging.
Thanks for sharing this informative blog post. Always Keep a spare car key with you and inside the house so you can avoid such situation.
In case of an emergency like this, always look for an emergency locksmith nearby area so they could come to your place in a short period of time. But it is really really important to always check your surroundings before closing the door to avoid this nerve-racking situation.