Vehicle lockouts on the increase
as anti-theft devices proliferate

Calls for vehicle lockout assistance have increased significantly since the 1980's creating frustration for millions of vehicle owners and potentially dangerous situations for small children and pets, the nation's largest motor club has announced.

This past year alone, AAA responded to nearly 5 million stranded motorists who either left their car keys inside the passenger compartment or in their trunk, or misplaced their car keys altogether. One of the causes for such a sharp increase, says AAA, may be the vehicles' own theft deterrent systems.

"Most of the newer car models sold today have high-tech locking systems that serve to protect the consumer from theft but make it more difficult to gain entry if you lose your key," says Margaret Pittelkow, managing director, AAA's ERS Network. "

In 1980, lockouts represented just 1.4% of the total requests for service. At present, lockouts now represent 16.9% of the total overall call volume in North America.

In an effort to stay warm during the cold winter months, AAA commonly encounters motorists' requests for lockout assistance due to their leaving the keys in the ignition while they handle a brief errand.

"Some vehicles will automatically lock after just a few seconds, even while the key is still in the ignition," said Pittelkow. "This can create a frightening and potentially life-threatening situation."

To help reduce the number of motorists stranded due to a vehicle lockout this winter, AAA suggests members get into the following practices: