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We’re in the era of staying sexy and not getting murdered. So, it’s important to know that most cars have an emergency trunk release so people can escape if needed. But is it legal to drive a car without one? 

The answer to this question depends on the age of your car. Anything from 2002 and newer is legally required to have an emergency release mechanism, but vehicles from 2001 or older are not. 

As of 2021, the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHSTA) mandated that all passenger cars sold in the United States are legally required to be equipped with an emergency trunk release. 

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 401 (FMVSS 401) is an American standard that requires automakers to provide a truck release mechanism that allows a person trapped inside the trunk compartment of a passenger car to escape. 

All modern cars sold from the year 2002 or later are equipped with this function as a result. Most of the mechanisms have a hand that glows in the dark. But for some reason, the release of the Tesla Cybertruck isn’t. 

Janett Fennell climbing out of a car trunk
Janett Fennell using an emergency trunk release | GettyImages

Also, you may find a button to press instead of a handle to pull in some cars. Older vehicles aren’t required to have an emergency release. However, some of them came with a trunk release as standard equipment or this feature could be added on. 

An advocate named Jannett Fennell, of San Fransico, helped the NHSTA establish the emergency release mandate after being kidnapped. 

She and her husband were kidnapped and stuffed into the trunk of a Lexus in 1995. Jannett started pulling at the carpet of the trunk and wires to try and get attention by flashing lights. She thought the lights would cause someone to call 911 or get the car pulled over. 

The thieves eventually stopped on a back road and took all the money, jewelry, bank cards, and PINs that the couple had. Then the thieves closed the trunk again and abandoned the car. 

Jannett eventually found the trunk release cable that was wired to the button in the front of the car. She pulled it to open the trunk, allowing her and her husband to escape.

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Allison Barfield

Allison Barfield joined MotorBiscuit in 2020 and covers all things trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. Having grown up on a farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she’s no stranger to the “Best in Class” truck and SUV debates; people in her hometown were always gathering to help work on vehicles together, and deliberation would naturally arise.

Allison graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Media Arts. She has helped bring awareness to issues Women In Trucking face and has promoted Truckers Against Trafficking, an anti-trafficking NGO.

A fan of creatively dark literature, Allison appreciates the works of Shirley Jackson and Emily Dickenson. She lives in a mountainous area of the country and enjoys off-roading and camping. Her dog, Bruce, often joins her in testing trucks and SUVs for our site.