Car Lockout in Atlanta, GA

Heat comes first

If a child or a pet is locked in the car, call 911 now; do not wait for a locksmith. In an average year Atlanta has about 7 days above 95°F, inside summers that NOAA calls long, hot and humid. A closed car in the sun gets much hotter than the air around it, even on an ordinary summer afternoon. If you are the one waiting, stand in shade or step inside a nearby building where you can still see the car.

Where Atlanta drivers get locked out

• MARTA station lots. The ticket you pull from the dispenser at the entrance has to be shown at a ticket machine when you leave, so a ticket left on the seat is locked in with the keys. At nine stations, Lenox and Lindbergh among them, MARTA switches to long-term rates after 14 hours and charges for partial days. A lockout discovered at the end of a long day can push a car past that line, so give the station name and mention the ticket.
• Buckhead. More than 50 high-rises line the Peachtree Road corridor, and the shopping district around Lenox, Peachtree and Piedmont roads holds more than 1,500 retail units. In a garage, give its name, the level and the row. If the gate needs a resident fob or card, say how someone can get in.
• Downtown. Around Peachtree Center, a cluster of hotels and office buildings joined by sky bridges above the street, name the building and the street the car is on, and say whether it is in a garage or at the curb.
• Neighborhood streets. Give the address or cross streets and a landmark.

What to send

In a car lockout request, include the location details above, the make, model and year, and where the keys are: in the ignition, on a seat, in the trunk or lost. Say if the engine is running. Once the door is open, expect to show the registration and a photo ID. If the key is lost rather than locked inside, ask about car key replacement. Parking notes for the city are on the Atlanta page.