You have two possible explanations for why you are locked in a car trunk: either the trunk lid closed on you accidentally or you were put in there for a reason, maybe as a prank or by someone with criminal intent. Many cars have safety release features that can help a person out of a closed trunk.
Stay calm. Car trunks are not airtight and normally takes up to 12 hours for an entrapped person to become unconscious. It is the hyperventilation that kills, so breathe slowly and relax.
Look for the safety lever or tag before you try entering the car through the rear seats. Many newer cars have this lever. It glows in the dark and is usually bright yellow or orange, and it is situated near the trunk lock mechanism. Pulling this lever or tag releases the lock latch and opens the trunk lid.
Find the seat release latches on the seat backs in the trunk if the car does not have a lever to release the trunk lock mechanism. The seat release latches are usually near the bottom-left and bottom-right sides on the seat backs that are facing the trunk side.
Pull the seat release latches to unlock the car's back seats. The rear seat backs can then be folded into two sections, in a 60-40 split.
Push or kick hard forward several times against the rear of the back seat in the absence of seat release latches or if you can not find them. This method can also be used on cars that do not have fold down seats, provided no sheet metal is between the trunk and the seat backs. The backs of rear seats are "snap-on" in most vehicles, meaning they are pressed in place using tabs.
