If a child or pet is inside a locked car, call 911 immediately and do not wait for a locksmith. If nobody is inside, call your roadside plan or WOW Locks at (844) 969-5625: a car lockout is $89 before tax, with non-destructive entry attempted first. Stay in the shade and avoid improvised entry tools that can damage the car.
If a Child or Pet Is Inside, Stop Reading and Call 911
Child or pet inside a locked car? Call 911 now. Do not wait for a locksmith.
Stay with the vehicle. Tell the dispatcher your exact location: the street, the lot, the nearest landmark, which row you parked in. Then do what the dispatcher says. Emergency crews are trained for this and can direct you on getting the person or animal out safely.
Do not spend those minutes calling around for a locksmith price. A locksmith is a good answer to a different question, and the rest of this page covers it.
How Fast a Parked Car Heats Up
Austin summers bring triple-digit afternoons, and a parked car is a bad place to be in them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the inside of a car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes, as its child safety page explains. Its child heatstroke page adds that a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s.
Cracking a window does not fix this. NHTSA has said that cracking windows or parking in the shade does little to protect a child inside. That is why the first rule is the simple one: if someone is in there, the clock is already running.
Decision Chart: 911 First or Locksmith First
Find your situation in the left column and follow the first action.
| Situation | First action | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Child or pet inside | Call 911 | Stay at the car and follow the dispatcher |
| Someone feels dizzy, sick or confused from the heat | Call 911 | Move them to shade or air conditioning |
| Nobody inside, keys visible on the seat | Get out of the sun | Try the car’s app or your roadside plan, then a locksmith |
| Nobody inside, engine running | Call roadside or a locksmith | Tell them the engine is running and stay out of the traffic lane |
| Nobody inside, keys not visible | Check your pockets and bag | Call a locksmith if you cannot find them |
Not sure the car is empty? Treat it as if it is not. Call 911.
Keys Inside, Nobody Inside: Your Three Safe Options
When the car holds only keys, you have time to choose. Three safe routes, in the order most people try them:
- The car’s phone app. Many newer vehicles have a connected-services app that can unlock the doors remotely. Some require an active subscription, so check before you rely on it.
- Your roadside plan or insurance. Many include lockout help, but the coverage and limits vary. Look at your card or app and call the number on it.
- A licensed locksmith. A technician comes to your car and tries non-destructive entry first. Call (844) 969-5625 and have your make, model and exact location ready.
Whichever route you pick, have these ready when you call:
- Your exact location: street, lot name, row or level
- Year, make and model of the car
- Whether the keys are visible, and whether the engine is running
- Whether anyone, or any animal, is inside. If yes, hang up and call 911 instead.
If someone nearby has a spare key, that is a fourth route. Let them bring it while you wait in the shade. For the full set of options in the dark hours, see our guide on being locked out of your car at night in Austin.
Staying Safe While You Wait: Shade, Water, Parking Lot Smarts
The parking lot at a busy trailhead or a pool is not the place to wait in the sun. Austin has plenty of both, from the Lady Bird Lake trail to the lot at Barton Springs Pool, and the pavement holds heat.
- Get out of the sun. Stand in shade or step inside a store or a lobby.
- Drink water. If you have none, ask a shop or a front desk.
- Stay visible. Stay where people can see you, and keep your phone with you.
- Know your spot. Be ready to give the street, the lot name and the row.
- Leave the tools alone. Coat hangers, wedges and rocks can scratch paint, bend the door frame and damage window and door wiring. They can also injure you. Do not try to force the door or the window.
Next time, a few habits make this call unnecessary:
- Put the keys in your pocket before you shut the door, every time.
- Keep a spare with someone you trust, not in a magnetic box under the bumper.
- Check the seat and cup holders before you close up, especially when your hands are full of bags or kids’ gear.
Once you are back in the car, a windshield sunshade helps keep the dash and steering wheel from baking. It will not make a locked car safe for a child or pet. Do not use it as a reason to leave anyone inside.
What a Car Lockout Costs With WOW Locks
| Service | Published price |
|---|---|
| Car lockout, non-destructive entry tried first | $89 before tax |
| Any add-on that applies, such as after-hours or distance | Quoted on the call before a technician is dispatched |
That is the whole list for a lockout. For the entry-only job, start with our car lockout service page. For a deeper look at what a lockout costs, see our Austin car lockout cost guide, and check the flat-rate price list for the full rate card.
Need a hand right now? Call (844) 969-5625 or request service. See where we work on our Austin service areas page. WOW Locks LLC is insured and bonded and holds Texas DPS (TOPS) license B10595301.