How long can a person survive in a trunk?

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • How long can a person survive in a trunk?

    can a person survive in a car's trunk for 24 hours?

    in the movie goodfellas they have the guy in the trunk for several hours while they are on their way to bury the guy.

    once that trunk closes are you completely cut off from oxygen or would a person be able to survive on the limited amount of air coming through the cracks or through the car if the windows are left down?

    sounds crazy, but i have a character in my script who is left in the trunk tied up for an entire day and i guess i need to make some changes if it's not realistic.
    One must be fearless and tenacious when pursuing their dreams. If you don't, regret will be your reward.

    The Fiction Story Room

  • #2
    Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

    Depends on the trunk, but I doubt any are fully air tight so I don't think thats a believability problem. What about heat? If it's summer that could be a factor.

    If anyone cares, A human can survive

    3 weeks without food.
    3 days without water.
    3 minutes without air.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

      okay cool. thanks. i didn't know a person could survive three days without food and water either.
      One must be fearless and tenacious when pursuing their dreams. If you don't, regret will be your reward.

      The Fiction Story Room

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

        I would think this question would have so many other factors involved it might be hard to say.

        As was mentioned, how hot is it outside? How cold is it?
        Is the person all ready injured? Are they conscious or unconscious?

        A person at rest, or knocked out, will use LESS air then someone who is kicking and screaming. Likewise a person who is injured will have a faster heartrate and breathing (due to stress) using up air faster.

        Does the person have any special training or other experience that would help them survive? A Navy seal, Super spy, or Chinese Acrobat would last quite a bit longer then a claustrophopic cheerleader.

        What reason does the person have to live?
        Basic character type plays a key role in survival.

        Another thing to consider is the type of car and it's age.
        Newer models (in the last three years I believe) come with safety release latches in the trunk OR access to the back seat. (so when a child plays hide and seek and picks the trunk as the best hiding place EVER he can climb out on his own.) [NO this did not actually happen to me or my kids.]

        Um, has the car in question recently been riddled with gun fire?

        Is there a screwdriver or other sharp tool that could be used to punch an air hole?

        And last but not least, Have you tried a google search for any actual statistics?
        Are you going to write "Trust me" in the query?"
        by BellaBella

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

          Oh, and just so's you know,
          it takes a full two minutes for a person to actually drown.
          Are you going to write "Trust me" in the query?"
          by BellaBella

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

            Found this interesting link

            http://www335.pair.com/grpulse/bt/sucatr.html

            and this wierd but some what funny one.

            http://vlasman-schell.com/blog/2004/...ghborhood.html

            This one looks pretty useful.

            http://www.kidsandcars.org/trunc/factsheet.htm

            On that site is a list of actual cases. One of them says a woman survived for 8 days!

            http://www.kidsandcars.org/trunc/actual.htm
            Last edited by scripter1; 08-20-2007, 08:05 PM.
            Are you going to write "Trust me" in the query?"
            by BellaBella

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

              thanks scripter! those gave me additional ideas to what i already had jotted down.
              One must be fearless and tenacious when pursuing their dreams. If you don't, regret will be your reward.

              The Fiction Story Room

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

                Originally posted by Slappynipsy View Post
                If anyone cares, A human can survive

                3 weeks without food.
                3 days without water.
                3 minutes without air.
                A wise man I know is fond of saying:

                "People can go 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water, and 3 minutes without air. But no one can go 3 seconds without justifying their own behavior."

                So true.
                "I've got vision up the butt, so just go with it!" - Dewey Finn, School of Rock

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

                  Just three days without water? I'd think I've heard of people surviving longer than that. Certainly, people have been underwater for more than 3 minutes (admitted, icy water) and come back.

                  But I'd guess no trunk is air tight, so air wouldn't be a problem. I've left cokes in the trunk on a freaking HOT day, and unless it's in direct sunlight the trunk stays cooler longer than I thought (I was thinking "it'll be hot as the passenger cabin" but there's the trick: it's the glass trapping heat that builds up heat up front, the dark trunk heats far slower)

                  One thing to keep in mind: kicking out the back seat is easy in some cars, and I had a car that I went for a year not realizing the back seat was MEANT to fold down to enlarge the trunk)

                  Also, people captive in trunks can knock out a tail light and wave their hand outside.

                  Just thoughts though ... I can't quote actuakl stats.
                  sigpic
                  "As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world -
                  that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves."
                  -Mahatma Gandhi.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

                    My favorite trunk scene is in the original GET CARTER, where he stuffs a bad girl in the trunk of his car... and later in the film the car gets pushed into a river and sinks... with her still in the trunk.

                    Nobody makes a big deal of it.

                    We used to stuff people in the trunk of my (old) car all the time to save money at the drive in when I was a teenager. Lots of air circulation back there. One thing to consider - most car trunks these days connect to the back seat. If I were locked in the trunk of my car, I could easily kick may way into the car's back seat and escape.

                    - Bill
                    Free Script Tips:
                    http://www.scriptsecrets.net

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

                      Don't feel bad Tab, I can't quote actuakl statistics either.

                      Pesky things those.
                      Are you going to write "Trust me" in the query?"
                      by BellaBella

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

                        Hell, I doubt many folks here can even pronounce the actuakl statistics!
                        sigpic
                        "As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world -
                        that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves."
                        -Mahatma Gandhi.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

                          I've slept a whole night in the trunk of a car during college (sober).

                          My new impala has a truck connected to the back seats and lots of new acrs have the interior light and release in case someone did get locked inside.

                          So you gotta go with an older car.
                          Half a bubble off level... systems normal.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: How long can a person survive in a trunk?

                            Depends on the size and stamina of the elephant.








                            Sorry. I'm having a depressive day and felt the need to say something stupid again.
                            Writers write to be read, right?

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X