Central locking in the car
The car is a protected place where we can feel safe – at least from thunderstorms with lightning. But what about human intervention and what does the central locking of the vehicle have to do with it? Here are some tips from local Des Moines automotive locksmith on what to do if you have locked out your car.
Protected at the push of a button?
Does keyless central locking offer security in the car? After all, it locks it completely at the push of a button: the driver’s and passenger doors, the rear doors as well as the fuel filler cap and trunk. As a result, nobody can enter uninvited from the outside, but the doors can still be opened from the inside.
For some it is already a matter of course to use the central locking system – but for many it is not. Most people drive “openly” because they are not aware of the consequences this can have. Some even consciously decide not to activate the central locking system. Why? We will take a closer look at this in a moment.
Assault in the car – myth or real danger?
How high is the probability of being the victim of an assault if we do not lock the car (especially in city traffic)? In the national press there is actually not much on this subject, which is due to the fact that such incidents are only reported locally. This applies not only to car robberies and thefts, but in general. Unless someone has been killed or it is an extraordinarily brutal act – then it will also be “interesting” for the national media.
In the local press and on Google, on the other hand, there are a number of cases, many of which could have been prevented by prophylactically closing the central locking system. An exception is the attack with a weapon, which you are powerless against – there is no central locking system to help. But even if the windows are smashed with brute force, we at least create an additional time slot to escape by car. But once the door is open (and we can’t see that fast with an unsecured car), women and even men have hardly a chance to escape or to defend themselves effectively in the confined space.
Danger detected, danger averted
What kind of assault can happen if the central locking system is deactivated? For example, handbags. Quite a few women place their bags on the passenger seat when they get in – some even pack them in the trunk.
Theft is one thing. It gets worse when someone suddenly sits next to us in the car. Knives are unfortunately quite popular as a threat in such a case in order to make the victim submissive. In Coesfeld, for example, someone raced across the town with two women he coerced into the back seats and then robbed them. Pummeling attacks, partly completely out of the blue, also occur. And who says that it must always be the passenger seat? How often do we have our little children in the back seat in the child seat – right next to the door? What do we do at the wheel when someone reaches behind us? Not much more.
Avoiding unnecessary risks
Which situations are particularly delicate? Wherever we have to stop by car, such as at traffic lights and stop signs. Also in parking lots and multi-storey car parks – if we have just sat down in the car, fasten our seat belts and maybe have a look at the smartphone before we drive off. All the time that passes while we’re sitting behind the wheel, unprotected.
Already on the way to our car we should be attentive. Is there someone nearby? It is best not to use the radio remote control to open our car until we are close to it. Some systems have a long range – and not everyone has to see from a distance which vehicle we are going to.
Even if such incidents do not happen countless times a day: Why take an unnecessary risk? After all, locking the car doesn’t hurt. It is not a great effort and an important component in the prevention of violence.
Creating routines
With models that do not lock automatically, but only at the push of a button, we can simply forget about it. The only thing that helps here is routine and repetition until we automatically press the button as soon as we sit down and close the driver’s door. Because let’s be honest: Nobody thinks about with which foot to accelerate, clutch or brake anymore. But until this has become flesh and blood, a simple post-it note (*), which we stick on the dashboard, helps. Get in, close the central locking system – this should become a related activity.
