(LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9, 2010) – If the 2009 shopping season is an indicator, December will bring the highest volume of requests for help by people who have locked themselves out of their vehicle, according to member roadside assistance statistics compiled by the Automobile Club of Southern California.
In December 2009, the Auto Club answered more than 73,000 calls for help from members at shopping malls, retail centers, grocery stores and other locations, or about 9 percent of all lockout calls. When comparing different months, the December 2009 lockout call volume is nearly 21 percent higher than September 2009. Overall, lockout calls made up about 17 percent of all roadside assistance calls for last year.
The top four busiest days for lockout services all fell in December during 2009:
- Dec. 18 (the last Friday before Christmas)…..2,883 calls
- Dec. 11……………………………………….2,783 calls
- Dec. 23……………………………………… 2,714 calls
- Dec. 22……………………………………… 2,685 calls
"Since more than half of Southern California households have an Auto Club member, this issue really pertains to all Southern California shoppers,” said David Lang, vice president of Automotive Services. “The hectic holiday season along with harried shoppers seem to increase the number of opportunities to forget car keys in vehicle ignitions, or in trunks where shoppers’ packages are stored. Remember to take a moment when exiting a vehicle or before closing the car trunk to be sure you have your keys in your hand.”
Lang says motorists can avoid being locked out of their vehicles this holiday season by:
- Never leaving car keys inside the vehicle’s passenger compartment.
- Staying focused. Don’t become distracted when getting into or out of your vehicle.
- Trying not to speed or rush while driving, parking or walking into or out of shopping centers.
- Putting keys in your pocket or purse when loading or unloading packages in your trunk.
- Creating the habit of exiting your vehicle with your car keys in hand and using the key fob security system to lock doors.
- Never leaving a spare ignition key hidden in or attached to the vehicle because it could be used to steal your car.