Have you ever been locked out of your car? Most people have. It’s an experience that can cause a lot of frustration and waste a lot of your money as well. Oftentimes you end up having to call up car lockout services to look for an automobile locksmith who is nearby.
The thing is, once it’s happened to you, it’s more likely to happen in the future. Some people go their whole lives without ever locking themselves out of a car, but once you get in a pattern of behavior that leads to a car lockout, you’re more susceptible to it happening again unless you make an effort to change that. In order to prevent you from having to call an emergency locksmith again, let’s look at some precautions you can take to make sure it never happens again.
Change your Behavior
This is something almost nobody thinks to do after experiencing a lockout. Try creating a mantra in your head that involves your keys, and say it everytime you’re about to get out of your car. Never leave the keys inside unless somebody else is in the vehicle. At home, choose a spot to keep your keys that you can easily remember, and put your keys there every day. The stricter you are with this, the more likely you are to never lose your keys.
Use a Lanyard
Have you ever wondered why so many people use lanyards and keychains? It’s not just to rep their favorite sports team, these things serve a very real purpose. They keep your keys tethered to you so they can’t fall away from your body. It’s very easy to lose a pair of keys directly out of your pocket, but it’s not so easy for a lanyard to rip off your body without you noticing. In this fashion, lanyards are just one easy way to prevent the possibility of a future car lockout.
Have a Spare
Inevitably when you do lose your keys, you need a spare one you can turn to when you’re in a rush. Keep a spare key somewhere outside your vehicle, like in your house. You can also keep your spare key with a trusted friend or relative if you don’t trust yourself to hold onto it. By having a spare key kept safely in the event of a car lockout, you’ll greatly minimize the chance of being locked out of your car when you truly need it. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself browsing through local locksmith services looking for a 24-hour locksmith who can help you out.
Get Your Electronic Keys Replaced
Another thing people don’t tend to consider is that a malfunctioning electronic key is as good as a lost regular key. If your key is slow to respond and shows any signs of malfunctioning, take it to an automotive locksmith to be examined so you can see if it needs to be repaired or replaced. With electronic keys, it’s also important to understand how the locking system works in order to prevent car theft.
A Reminder
Losing your keys is just part of owning a car. While some people are able to avoid it, the majority are not and need to be prepared to prevent it from happening again once it does. By having a spare key, getting electronic keys examined, using a mantra before you get out of your car, and wearing a lanyard or a keychain, you can effectively eliminate the chances of you being locked out of your car again. This also saves you the hassle of scrambling to figure out what to do if you lose your car keys. When it comes to dealing with a car lockout, prevention is ideal but preparedness can be just as good sometimes.
