Nothing can ruin your day and kill your mood like small things – forgetting your wallet, running late for a work meeting, or even getting locked inside your car. Oftentimes, these things occur in a single day, so you cannot wait for it to be over and go back to your home.
If you are claustrophobic, the last scenario probably seems like a nightmare. However, even though it might not seem like that at first, there is no need to panic. In reality, it is the last thing that you should do. Keep reading this article because we are going to provide you with some tips, so if this ever happens to you, you will know exactly what to do.
Table of Contents
Stay calm
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Panic is a normal reaction to this kind of situation. It would be everyone’s first response, but however, you have to do everything in your power to minimize it and try to calm down. We know this is easier said than done, but after that initial shock passes, take deep breaths, and collect your thoughts. No, you will not suffocate in your vehicle, even though it is a closed space, there is enough oxygen for you to breathe.
If you have been in any sort of accident, make sure that you are not hurt. Even if you don’t feel pain immediately, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you aren’t injured. In these situations, a person experiences the rush of adrenaline, which can easily mask the pain.
On the other hand, if you haven’t been in a collision, there isn’t a risk of anything bad happening, which means that you have more than enough time to think clearly on how to get out.
Check if it is fully locked
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When some kind of malfunction happens to the vehicles, in some cases, it doesn’t get fully locked. What does this mean? Well, first of all, even though the driver’s door is locked, some of the passenger ones might not be. Due to this reason, the very first thing that you have to do is to check if any of the doors are unlocked. If you find one, that’s great, use them to get out.
Furthermore, check the windows. Depending on the make and model of your car, and the type of malfunction, obviously, you might be able to wind down a window. If this works, use it to climb out of the vehicle. The important thing – if you are stuck on a road somewhere, make sure to check the traffic before getting out!
Call for help
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If none of these tips work, it is time to call someone to help you. Firstly, you can call the rescue service. They will send a crew your way, but if it is an emergency, make sure to tell them that. Naturally, you should only do this if you have been in an accident on the road, and if you are hurt, or someone else is. They will send a rescue team immediately, and they will be at your location within minutes.
On the other hand, if you get locked on your driveway, you can call your spouse or someone close to you to help you get out. There might be some trick of unlocking the car you are not aware of. Finally, you can call a locksmith.
What to do if your phone is not charged or you don’t have reception? If this happens, you only have one choice – you have to get the attention of pedestrians or other drivers on the road. Once again, don’t panic because someone will notice you.
If there are people in close vicinity, you can start banging on the window to make noise and attract their attention. Moreover, you can write a sign saying that you need help and hold it against your window or windshield. Lastly, in case nobody can hear you, you can wave your arms or some other items that you have in your vehicle, to get their attention.
When someone finally approaches you, ask them to try to use the outside handles of the vehicle to get you out. Once again, depending on the issue, the doors might not be locked from the outside, so all you might need is for someone to open it.
Break out of the vehicle
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If there isn’t any kind of emergency, this should be your last option. Why? Well, simply because breaking the window can turn out to be dangerous, and you might hurt yourself with all the shattered glass around. One piece of advice – do not try to break the windshield. It is made of safety glass, and it is almost impossible to break it. Because of this, you will have better chances with the side windows.
First of all, try to find a bulky and heavy item in your car. For example, if you have toolbox, use the hammer or the screwdriver. If not, you can try stuff like a camera, laptop, even an umbrella, literally, anything you can find. If you have an emergency kit in your car for this kind of situation, then you probably have a window breaking tool, which will enable you to shatter the glass without much effort, even though this tool is quite small.
On the other note, if you don’t have anything that you can use, then you have to try to break it with your feet. If you have high heels, the chances of breaking the window will be greater if you kick in the center of it. Nevertheless, don’t forget that getting out of the locked vehicle this way can be very tricky, and that not only will you need some time, but you will also have to put in a lot of effort and straight.
Get out safely
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Once you manage to break the glass, you can finally get out. However, you have to be extremely careful. The shattered glass will be everywhere around you, so make sure not to cut yourself. The first thing that you should do is to try to use the outside handle to open the door. If this doesn’t work, you will have to get out through the window, but be cautious not to cut yourself on the remaining glass in the frame.
