If you’ve ever watched a gripping crime drama, you might have pondered what you would do if you found yourself in a perilous situation. Would you know the vital trick that could mean the difference between life and death? Would your instincts kick in quickly enough to safeguard yourself and your loved ones? I’ve often asked myself this question, and my answer is usually uncertain, hoping it remains hypothetical. However, one woman faced that terrifying reality and not only saved herself but also ensured that others would have a chance at survival too. Thanks to her astonishing experience, since 2002, every car is mandated to include a glow-in-the-dark emergency release handle in the trunk.
The remarkable journey of Laura Fitzpatrick, including her relentless fight to make sure all vehicles are equipped with trunk emergency release handles, first came to light on Atlas Obscura in 2015 and has recently resurfaced in a TIL (Today I Learned) post on Reddit. But Laura’s ordeal began two decades earlier.
The Ordeal
On the night of October 29, 1995, Laura, her husband, Mark, and their nine-month-old son returned home from visiting friends. As they parked in their garage, Laura’s mind was preoccupied with preparations for her Sunday school class. The evening seemed ordinary—until it took a horrifying turn.
As the garage door closed, two masked men, one wearing a particularly menacing werewolf mask, slipped under the door. Armed, they forced Laura and Mark into the trunk of their vehicle without realizing their baby was still strapped in his car seat. The couple could only hear silence from their son.
As they were driven through San Francisco, Laura frantically started pulling at the trunk’s carpet, hoping to expose wires that might trigger a light to signal for help. Despite their grim circumstances, they heard nothing but the sound of the car moving, occasionally scraping the road due to their weight in the trunk. “We were basically saying our last goodbyes,” Laura recalled in an interview.
When the car finally stopped, the kidnappers opened the trunk and demanded money and PIN numbers. After complying, they were locked back inside, with the threat of death if their PINs didn’t work. Alone in darkness, Laura saw a flicker of light. Miraculously, it was shining where she had tugged the wires. She exclaimed, “I think I found the trunk release!”
With Mark’s help, they managed to pop the trunk open and escape, only to find no sign of their baby. Utilizing an emergency key, they raced back to the city and called for help, finally learning their child was safe, left in his car seat outside their home.
Turning Trauma into Action
While Laura could have stopped there, her determination to turn her trauma into action led her to collect data and advocate for a law requiring glow-in-the-dark emergency release handles in vehicles. Since their implementation, no fatalities due to trunk entrapment have been reported, only stories of individuals escaping after being placed in trunks by criminals. Laura has continued to champion various safety initiatives related to vehicles, demonstrating that her path to healing involved ensuring others wouldn’t endure similar nightmares.
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In summary, Laura Fitzpatrick’s harrowing experience in 1995 led to significant changes in vehicle safety regulations, ensuring that all cars are now equipped with emergency release handles. Her proactive response to trauma has undoubtedly saved lives and continues to inspire action towards safety improvements.
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