Locked Out? Here’s What to Do at Home or in Your Car

How to Avoid Lock Outs: Your Home

Getting locked out of your house or car can be frustrating—and expensive. The best way to avoid ending up on the wrong side of the door without your key is to create preventative routines. Use these tips to develop yours so that you can keep it from happening to you and find out how AAA can help you if it does.

• Do: Always check for your house keys before stepping out. Establish a habit to prevent accidental lockouts. You could even take this a step further by creating a consistent landing zone for your keys. Every time you come or go, leave or pick up your keys from the same spot. This will create muscle memory, and you will instinctively grab your keys before you leave.
• Do: If your door requires you to use a key, use your key to lock the door after you close it behind you. Some doors will let you manually lock the door from the inside and shut on the way out. Avoid this as much as possible. If you lock your door with your keys, you will know for sure you have them.
• Do: Strategically place a hidden key outside your home, such as in a lockbox with a code, to prevent unauthorized access. Doing this requires strategic planning. Perhaps consider a hidden, code-enforced lockbox. This will provide you with a spare key, and the code will act as a deterrent for anyone with nefarious intent.
• Do: Keep a spare key in a wallet, bag, purse or hidden in your vehicle. This will allow you to get into your home if you either lock your primary key in or misplace it during your daily grind.
• Do: Leave a key with someone close to you. This could be a local relative or trusted neighbor who occasionally checks in on your house while you are away. Doing so will provide you with an additional resource in the event of a lockout.  
• Do: Consider the option of getting a keyless lock that uses a touchpad and passcode. Keyless access control is growing more and more popular. It is regularly used for homes and vehicles. To ensure that you never have to worry about locking your keys inside, consider installing a keypad or some other form of keyless entry system.

Note: While keyless entry is a great alternative to a physical key, there are still failure points. Many are battery-operated, and that power eventually will run out. For optimum functionality, be sure to change your batteries every one to three years for non-smart locks, and every six to twelve months for smart locks.

What to Do if You Get Locked Out of Your Home

Don't panic. Lockouts are common, but there are steps you can take to resolve the situation quickly. Here is a brief list of dos and don’ts to consider if you find yourself in this situation.

• Do: Check any places you may keep a spare key, especially if you have established any of the practices mentioned above.
• Do: Check all of your windows and doors. You may get lucky and find one is unlocked.
• Do: Have the phone number of a certified locksmith service in your cellphone and call one when you’re locked out.
• Don’t: Attempt to climb through a window above ground level. Doing so could cause serious bodily injury and incur expensive medical bills.
• Don’t: Try to pick the lock. It might look easy and cool in the movies, but it is not likely to work out how you want it to. Doing so could also cause costly damage to your lock which could result in the need for a full replacement. Leave the lock picking to the pros.
• Don’t: Break in unless an emergency situation calls for it. Barreling through windows and doors is a great way to hurt yourself and your bank account.

How AAA Can Help When You’re Locked Out at Home

AAA Premier Members who lock themselves out of their homes can breathe a sigh of relief: As a AAA Premier Member, you are eligible for up to $100 reimbursement on locksmith fees when locked out of your home. Once you’re safely back inside, download a lockout reimbursement form from AAA.com/ContactAAA and send it to us with a receipt.

How to Avoid Car Lockouts

To avoid getting locked out of your car door without your keys try putting these helpful tips into practice.

• Do: Always lock your car using your key fob or physical key. Manually locking from inside can lead to accidental lockouts. Doing so ensures that you have your key in hand rather than leaving it in the ignition, on the seat or in a cupholder where it will taunt you upon lockout.
• Do: Replace the battery in your key fob every two years or when recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. (Because when your key fob battery dies, so does your ability to use the fob to get into your car.)
• Do: Keep a spare car key safely inside your home. This backup could be a lifesaver if you live with relatives or roommates. Rather than spending money on a locksmith service, you can call a family member or friend to bail you out. You might pay for their assistance by having to endure a bit of teasing, but hey, it is better than paying for a locksmith.

What to do if you get locked out of your car

If you get locked out of your car, remember, you are not alone. Millions of drivers end up locked-out every year. Stay calm and focus on finding a quick solution. Here's what you can do to resolve the situation..

• Do: Double-check each door to make sure you are really locked out before you call for help.
• Do: Call a friend to help you get your spare key.
• Do: Confirm your location and summon help from AAA Roadside Assistance.
• Don’t: Call the police, unless it’s an emergency like your child or pet is locked in your vehicle. If they arrive on scene and cannot get the door unlocked, they will likely call a tow truck that you get to pay for.

How AAA can help when you’re locked out of your car

Vehicle lockout service is included with your AAA Membership benefits—just let us know where you are, and a service provider will come to you. If a locksmith is required, you can get some reimbursement through AAA (how much depends on your membership level).