Keys locked in the car. Here's what happens next.

Thirty seconds of checking

Every door, then the trunk. If it's a keyless car and it locked itself, the fob is outside somewhere. Anyone inside the car, or a car left running: 911 first. The locksmith is the call after that.

After that, the call is to a locksmith who comes to the car, which in West Palm Beach is a quick one.

How the car gets opened

The technician checks the car is yours, then opens it cleanly, with no marks on the door and no damage to the seals. The method stays with the technician. If your keys are sitting on the seat, it's over in minutes. If they're lost, a new key is made from the car right there.

The internet's coat hanger method bends the door frame. That's a body-shop problem, not a lock problem.

Inside, or gone?

Locked inside means one job: open the door. Lost means two: open the door, then make a key to the car. Both are done at the car, without a tow, on most makes.

One sentence on the phone, keys inside or keys lost, saves a second trip.

Trunks, rentals, tow lots

Trunk lockouts usually end at the cabin's trunk release. Cars with a partitioned trunk are slower. Rental cars are fine with the agreement in hand, though the rental firm may prefer its own roadside service. On a tow lot, the lot decides who may work on the car.

Anything with a lock and wheels is the same conversation.

The spare, again

Have a spare and keep it out of the car. Two keys made in one visit is barely longer than one. Don't hide a key on the car itself. And on keyless cars, pat the pocket before closing the door; it's the habit that ends most lockouts.

Plain advice, the same for everyone.

Things people are told

Modern cars need the dealer. They need someone with the equipment, and a locksmith carries it. You'll get scratches. Not from a technician. Push-start cars can't be opened. They can. Lost the key, tow the car. Make the key where the car is instead.

Questions we get asked