uk Personal safety & immediate danger stranger at my car window • someone says emergency unlock door • car door handle being tried • person knocking on car window • approached in car park in my car • suspicious person outside my car • attempted carjacking distraction • emergency claim to lure you out • someone asks for help at traffic lights • someone blocks my car and approaches • someone says your tyre is flat • asked to open the boot suddenly • pressured to unlock car doors • unsafe to unlock car doors • what to do if trapped in car • keep doors locked while driving • being followed after an incident

What to do if…
a stranger approaches your car claiming there is an emergency and urges you to unlock the doors

Short answer

Keep your doors locked and windows up, and create distance (move the car if you safely can). If you feel threatened or they try the handle/block you, call 999 (or 112).

Do not do these things

Do not unlock the doors “just for a second” or to “hear them better”.
Do not open the window more than a tiny crack, and don’t pass your phone/keys/wallet out.
Do not get out to “check” something they point at (tyre, bumper, boot, “something leaking”).
Do not follow their directions to a second location or a quieter spot.
Do not let politeness override your instincts; you can help without unlocking.

What to do now

Lock down the car immediately: doors locked, windows up, seatbelt on. If your car has a “lock all doors” button, press it.
Create space: if it’s safe, drive away. If you’re stuck (traffic/lights), keep as much gap as you can in front so you can pull away when an opening appears.
Help safely (without unlocking): if they claim there’s an emergency, call 999 (or 112) yourself and give:
- your exact location (road name/landmark),
- what the person is saying happened,
- what they’re doing (e.g., “trying my door handle”, “blocking my car”).
If you feel threatened, treat it as an emergency: if they try the handle, crowd your door, demand you unlock, or block your car, stay inside and call 999/112.
Go somewhere public (not home): drive to a busy, well-lit place like a petrol station forecourt or supermarket car park. If you think you’re being followed, keep driving to a public place while you’re on the phone to 999/112.
Use attention without opening up: a brief horn blast and hazards can attract witnesses if you need help while remaining locked inside.
Once you’re safe, preserve details: note description, time/location, and any vehicle registration. Save dashcam footage.
Report if not urgent: when you’re safe and it’s not an emergency, report via 101 or your local force’s online reporting (especially if there was attempted entry or the same approach might be used on others).

What can wait

You don’t need to decide right now whether you’ll make a formal statement—first get safe and report the basics.
You don’t need to “work out” if it was a scam before calling police.
You don’t need to confront them or gather proof in the moment.

Important reassurance

It’s normal to feel torn between helping and protecting yourself. Calling 999/112 while staying locked in your car is a reasonable way to respond to a claimed emergency without taking on extra risk.

Scope note

This is first-steps-only guidance for the first minutes. If there was attempted entry, threats, or you’re worried the person may target others, follow up with police reporting after you’re safe.

Important note

This is general safety information, not legal advice. If you are in immediate danger, call 999 (or 112).

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What to do if…a stranger approaches your car claiming there is an emergency and urges you to unlock the doors