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How to escape if you're locked in the trunk of a car

Recently a kidnapped woman made a daring escape from the trunk of a moving car. If you were locked in a trunk, would you know what to do?
/ Source: TODAY

Earlier this month, 25-year-old Alabama nursing student Brittany Diggs made headlines when she made a daring escape from the trunk of a moving car. A man who had approached her at gunpoint forced her into the trunk of a car. When they pulled into a gas station, Diggs used the light from an insulin pump to find an interior latch and pop the trunk to escape. (A suspect in the kidnapping has been arrested.)

The trunk latch that saved Diggs' life has been required by law in all new passenger cars since 2001. But if you were trapped in a trunk, would you know where to find it and how to escape?

With the help of Maj. Hector Llevat of the Miami-Dade Police Department, TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen put together an experiment, enlisting volunteers to see if they could escape from inside a locked trunk. Though Rossen himself was able to find the interior latch and free himself, most of the volunteers could not. The trick, Rossen revealed, was knowing that the latch glows in the dark.

But what if your kidnapper ties you up? Retired Army Special Forces officer Mykel Hawke taught Rossen and several of his volunteers a maneuver for snapping out of a zip tie.

Another tip: Open the trunk of your car and look for the latch so that you'll know where it is if you ever need it.

To suggest a topic for an upcoming investigation, visit the Rossen Reports Facebook page.