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Experts share how to escape a car trunk and zip ties if ever you were taken
This is good information to know, just in case.
Maxim Sorokopud
05.14.21

The idea of being locked inside the trunk of a car is terrifying. But luckily, it’s easier to escape than you think, if you know what to do.

In Alabama, Brittany Diggs found herself at the mercy of kidnappers.

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

They threw her into her car’s trunk and drove off.

Amazingly, Brittany was able to stay calm.

She worked out how to get out of the situation. Footage captured her escape, and it is incredible.

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

So could you do the same thing if you were in her situation?

Yes. But you need to know what to look for.

Ever since 2001, every passenger car has been required by law to have a trunk latch built into the inside.

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

This allows anyone trapped inside to open it up.

But of course, people that are in car trunks are in pitch darkness. And they often struggle to find the back of the car.

Luckily, The Today Show performed an experiment to see if people could locate this latch.

At first, Jeff Rossen, the host of the segment, attempted to find the latch. He deliberately entered the car so that he was facing away from the latch.

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

With a struggle, he turned around and saw something glowing in the dark. It was the latch.

Pretty soon, he had made his way out of the trunk.

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

But he did have an expert guiding him. What if someone had to work it out all on their own?

The show placed the first of their volunteers into the trunk.

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

The first volunteer managed to make her way out within seconds.

Then they tried it again and again. A few people successfully escaped. But the majority of the people failed.

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

The trick is to relax and look for the glow-in-the-dark latch. The latches always glow in the dark. If you remember that, you should be able to escape!

But what about if your hands are zip-tied together?

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

Kidnappers do sometimes do this to stop people from getting free. Luckily, it is absolutely possible to free yourself in this situation.

The trick is to lift your arms up as high as you can.

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

Then you pull your arms down to your chest as hard as you can. While you’re doing this, spread your elbows and push your stomach out.

This will overwhelm the mechanism that locks the plastic together, making the zip-tie fall off.

And to ensure that everyone could do this trick, the show tried it out with the volunteers. Amazingly, time after time, they were able to snap off the zip-ties. And they used people of all ages and sizes for this experiment. So yes, anyone can do it.

This footage then appeared on YouTube, where it became popular.

To date, it has gained over 86,000 views. It also has more than 900 likes and dozens of comments. People have been saying things like this:

YouTube Screenshot - TODAY
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - TODAY

So now you know what to do if your hands are zip-tied or if you’re trapped in the trunk of a car.

It sounds silly, but Brittany Diggs never expected to need to escape from a trunk, until she had to.

See the details on how to escape in the video below.

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