Car Lockout in Madison, WI

Winter parking and a locked car

Between November 15 and March 15, Madison requires alternate side parking overnight, from 1 to 7 a.m.: odd-numbered side of the street on odd dates, even-numbered side on even dates. Inside the Snow Emergency Zone, which takes in the downtown isthmus and neighborhoods including Tenney-Lapham and Vilas, the rule applies only when a snow emergency has been declared.

Declarations come when the city needs to plow every residential street, typically after 3 or more inches of snow, and always before 9 p.m. So an evening lockout on the isthmus on a snow emergency night carries a deadline that the same lockout on an ordinary night does not. If your car has to change sides before 1 a.m., say so in your request, along with the date and which side it is on now. This is general information, not legal advice.

Cold, heat and anyone inside

If a child or a pet is locked in the car, call 911 first. A closed car can become dangerously cold on a winter night and dangerously hot in summer sun, and neither can wait.

Two other safety points:

• If the engine is running with the keys inside, mention it. In deep snow, check that the tailpipe is clear, since a blocked exhaust can push fumes into the cabin.
• If you are the one stuck outside in the cold, wait somewhere warm nearby rather than beside the car.

Location details to send

Madison cars sit on isthmus streets, in lots and in City garages, so be exact:

• the street and nearest cross street, and which side of the street
• for a garage or lot, its name, the level and the nearest stair or exit
• make, model and color, and where the keys are: ignition, seat or trunk
• whether the engine is running
• a photo ID, plus the registration or title; if those are inside the car, say so

If the keys are lost rather than locked inside, ask for car key replacement instead. Winter parking is covered further on the Madison page, and the service itself is described at car lockout.