Car Lockout in Nashville, TN

Anyone trapped inside: call 911

Never leave a child or pet in a closed car, even briefly. A child, a pet or an adult who cannot open the door is an emergency for 911, not a locksmith request. NOAA's climate summary for Tennessee mentions warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico, and a closed car parked in the sun gets far hotter than the air around it. Cold is a risk too. Make the call first, then worry about the keys.

Paid spaces: the clock keeps running

The Nashville Department of Transportation runs pay stations in the Central Parking District and in western areas, including West End Avenue out to 31st Avenue and the Vanderbilt Hospital area. That puts a clock on anyone locked out at the curb.

• A session can be extended from your phone twice, up to 10 hours in total.
• Once it expires, the car has to leave that parking zone for at least half an hour.

If your phone is with you, extend the session while you wait. If the phone is locked in the car with the keys, note roughly when the session ends and include it in your request.

Details that locate the car

"Downtown" or "on West End" can mean many blocks, so be exact.

• Central Parking District: the street, the nearest cross street and which side of the street.
• West End: the nearest numbered avenue and the side of West End Avenue.
• Around Vanderbilt Hospital: the street or garage name, and the entrance you used.
• Garages: the garage name, level, row and space number.

What to send

1. The location, as above.
2. The year, make, model and color.
3. Where the keys are: on a seat, in the ignition, in the trunk or missing.
4. Whether the car is in a paid space and when the session ends.

If the keys are lost rather than locked inside, ask about car key replacement instead.