How to Escape a Car Trunk and Report to 112
▶ PLAY FREE NOWNo download · Phone or PC · 3–5 minutes per run · 10 languagesTrunk entrapment is rare, but if it happens, decisions made in the first few minutes decide the outcome. This is compiled from NHTSA’s trunk emergency release standard (FMVSS 401), vehicle-maker safety guidance, the Korean National Police Agency’s 112 text and silent reporting guidance, and US police and safety-education material. If you are in real danger, call 112 (Korea’s police number) or your local emergency number.
1. Stay calm first: a trunk is not airtight
- A trunk is not fully sealed, so you will not suffocate right away (vehicle-maker guidance). Steady your breathing, and check by hand what you still have (phone, pin, keys) and what is around you.
- Listening to the criminals’ talk, the car sounds and where it stops gives you information to report and tells you when to get out.
2. Find the glow-in-the-dark emergency release
- US passenger cars since the 2002 model year must have an emergency release that glows in the dark inside the trunk (FMVSS 401). It is usually a T-shaped or handle-shaped piece on the inside of the lid near the latch.
- If it is marked “OPEN” or has an arrow, pull or push in the arrow’s direction. Many cars in Korea have one too, but some do not, so open your own trunk and check ahead of time.
- Some cars also have a loop or strap in the trunk that folds down the rear seatback.
3. Reporting to 112 when you can’t speak
- Text report to 112: send the exact location (road, direction) and a short description (car model, color, plate, number of criminals). You can also send photos and video.
- While hiding, turn off the ringer and vibration and cover the screen so no light leaks.
- “Knock-knock” report: after calling 112, if you can’t speak, follow the officer’s instructions and press number buttons to signal.
- Visible 112: if you agree to the link the police text you, they can see your location, video and a secret chat.
4. If your hands are tied: zip ties
- The weakest part of a zip tie is the lock. Put the lock between your wrists, raise your bound hands above your head, then bring them down hard toward your stomach while pulling your elbows apart, and it may snap.
- Pushing a thin pin or clip into the lock gap to lift the teeth can release it quietly.
- Twisting to pull free only tightens it and hurts your wrists.
5. When to get out: never jump from a moving car
- Jumping from a moving car can cause serious injury or death. Even if you find the release, wait until the car stops.
- Get out when it stops somewhere with people and lights, such as a traffic light, gas station or rest stop, and run toward people shouting loudly.
- When the criminals have walked away from the car, run low toward bright places such as the road and street lamps. Avoid water and woods at night.
- If the police are nearby, waiting quietly may be safer than bolting out recklessly.
6. Signaling and leaving clues
- Open the tail light cover inside the trunk, pull the wires or push the light out, and wave a hand through the hole so the car behind may notice. Depending on the model, a metal plate may block it, so it may not work.
- Dropping an item with your name (such as an employee ID) where a CCTV camera is gives a clue to trace the route.
- Exhaust fumes can seep into the trunk of an idling car. Breathe near gaps where outside air comes in, and do not fall asleep.
7. Facing the criminals · After you get out
- Robbers are after money. Don’t fight recklessly; protect your life before valuables. Get away when you can and report to 112 (Korean National Police Agency crime-victim support guidance).
- After you escape, don’t chase the criminals. From a safe place, tell the police their height, build, clothing, way of speaking, license plate and direction of escape.
- Even if you seem uninjured, get checked at a hospital. Medical records serve as evidence of harm.
8. Prevention: designated drivers and the way home
- For a designated driver, call through an app or company instead of someone soliciting on the street, and check the driver’s name and contact.
- After drinks, tell friends or family you are heading home, and set up your phone’s location sharing and emergency contacts in advance.
- Tonight, open your car’s trunk and check whether it has a glow-in-the-dark release.
Practice in a simulation
Reading a list is different from remembering it in a pitch-dark trunk. “I Woke Up in a Trunk” is a free browser game where you make these decisions yourself against the clock (criminals, vehicles and characters are fictional). See the game guide.
Sources
- NHTSA — Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 401 (interior trunk release, passenger cars made after September 2001)
- KidsAndCars.org — background of the glow-in-the-dark trunk handle
- Kia — trunk entrapment safety guidance · owner’s manual (danger of riding in the trunk)
- Korean National Police Agency — 112 text report, “knock-knock” silent report, Visible 112 · crime-victim support guidance
- US police and self-defense training material (including ABC7 reports) — surviving abduction, zip tie escape
FAQ
Does every car have a trunk emergency release?
No. It is required on US passenger cars since the 2002 model year (FMVSS 401) and many cars in Korea have one, but some do not. Check your own car ahead of time.
How do I report to 112 from inside a trunk?
Text 112 with your location, car model, plate and situation. If you can’t speak, call 112 and press number buttons (the “knock-knock” report), and agree to the link the police send (Visible 112).
Can I pull the release while the car is moving?
Don’t jump out. Jumping from a moving car can cause serious injury. Get out when the car has stopped, in a bright place with people.
How do I free a zip tie?
Put the lock between your wrists, raise your hands above your head, then bring them down hard toward your stomach while pulling your elbows apart. You can also slip a thin pin into the lock gap.
Should I break the tail light to signal?
It depends on the car. Opening the tail light cover, pulling the wires or pushing the light out and waving a hand may get the car behind to notice, but some cars have a metal plate that blocks it.
Should I fight the criminals?
Don’t fight recklessly. Your life comes before valuables. Get away when you can and report to 112.
How can I call a designated driver safely?
Call through an app or company instead of someone soliciting on the street, and check the driver’s name and contact. Tell friends you are heading home.