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This is my pet cause - don't lock your car doors because you are afraid of people, lock your car doors BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE CAR. It protects you in a crash.
If a car rolls over, the doors are what keeps the weight of the car from pancaking the little struts that hold up the roof. If a car rolls over or makes contact with another big solid object and a door has flung open and your limb or body has flung out?
In a crash, the doors staying closed correlate with better outcomes for the passengers than the doors opening.
This is why some cars have locks that automatically engage at speed, not when you idle at a stop light.
This is why some cars have locks that automatically engage at speed, not when you idle at a stop light.
"But they might slow down rescuers!"
Rescuers will bust your window if they have to. They can't count on the door being operable in a crash you need rescuing from.
Rescuers will bust your window if they have to. They can't count on the door being operable in a crash you need rescuing from.
A lot of cars will automatically unlock when they stop in a manner that deploys the airbag anyway.
Lock your car doors. Lock your car doors. Lock your car doors.
Not out of fear of the unlikely but real possibility someone will open them when you're stopped. But because they're not supposed to open when the car is in motion.
Not out of fear of the unlikely but real possibility someone will open them when you're stopped. But because they're not supposed to open when the car is in motion.
If you want more information on this topic, here is a Car Talk blog where they talk about it.
cartalk.com/content/does-l…
cartalk.com/content/does-l…
Important to note: car door locks do not slide a deadbolt in place, they more disengage the mechanism in the latch handle that opens the door. The point is not to keep the door from breaking, but jostling open when things are moving in unexpected directions at high velocity.
The engineering in a modern car is pretty good in terms of shock absorption. Score one for the nanny state! But safety equipment only works when it is used as intended.
The doors need to stay closed. If any part of your body leaves a vehicle in a collision... your odds go down.
The doors need to stay closed. If any part of your body leaves a vehicle in a collision... your odds go down.
And some people are like, yes, but a door unlatching in a collision is a low percentage scenario.
But surviving an accident is about odds. Once things start happening, you can't control how they unfold.
But surviving an accident is about odds. Once things start happening, you can't control how they unfold.
Locking your doors improves your odds. It's something you can do that closes off some of the worse outcomes.
Treat it like wearing your seatbelt. It's part of the safety equipment you're given with a car.
Treat it like wearing your seatbelt. It's part of the safety equipment you're given with a car.
