Locked in a Car Trunk: Getting Emergency Help
The Short Answer
If you are trapped inside a car trunk, first look for the internal emergency trunk release. It is usually a small handle or button that glows in the dark, often marked with a symbol of a person leaving an open trunk. Pulling or pressing it should open the lid from the inside. If you have a phone with signal, call 911 right away, even if you think you can escape on your own.
In the US, a federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS 401) requires passenger cars with a conventional trunk to have an internal release, and the rule has applied to new cars since the early 2000s. That qualification matters: older cars may have no internal release, and the rule concerns enclosed trunks, not the open cargo areas of hatchbacks, SUVs or minivans. Release location and design vary by manufacturer, model and model year, so the owner's manual is the authoritative source for any specific vehicle.
Step-by-Step: If You Are Locked Inside
1) Stay as calm as you can. Slow breathing conserves energy and air, and it helps you think clearly. 2) Feel and look for the glowing release, usually on or near the trunk lid latch. Pull it firmly, or press it if it is a button. 3) Call 911 if you have a phone. Describe the vehicle, where you think you are, and whether the car is moving. 4) If there is no working release, check whether the rear seatbacks fold down. Some cars have seat release latches or straps reachable from the trunk side, which may let you crawl into the cabin. 5) On some older cars, a cable runs from the driver's trunk-release lever to the latch. If you can find it near the latch, pulling it may open the lid. 6) If you still cannot get out, find the access panels behind the taillights. Pulling the taillight assembly loose, or kicking it out, can create an opening to signal by waving a hand or cloth, and can let in air and light. 7) Make noise by banging, kicking or shouting, especially when you hear people nearby or the car stops.
Why Speed Matters
A closed trunk has little ventilation and can heat up quickly in warm weather or direct sun. Treat any trunk entrapment as an emergency rather than an inconvenience. This is especially true for children, who are the most common victims of accidental entrapment and may not know how to use a release or may panic.
If You Are Trapped During a Crime
If someone forces you into a trunk, the same tools apply. Call 911 if you can, quietly if necessary. If the release works but the car is moving at speed, it is generally safer to wait for the vehicle to slow or stop before opening the lid and getting out. A loosened or broken taillight can be used to signal other drivers, who may report the car to police.
If Someone Else Is Trapped
If you hear someone inside a trunk, try the key fob's trunk button or the interior trunk release in the cabin. If neither works, or the person is unresponsive or the vehicle is hot, call 911 immediately. Emergency responders can force entry if needed.
Prevention Tips
Lock parked cars and keep key fobs out of children's reach, so children cannot open the trunk or fold the seats down and climb in. Show children the glowing release and explain that it opens the trunk from inside. If you drive an older car without an internal release, ask a dealer or qualified technician whether a retrofit release kit is available for your model. If you suspect a child is missing, check the trunk and cargo areas of nearby vehicles quickly.
What This Guide Cannot Confirm
No model-specific evidence was available for this article, so it does not list which vehicles place the release where, which models have trunk-side seat releases, or which older cars can be retrofitted. Check the owner's manual or contact the manufacturer for details on a particular vehicle.
