Patent ID: 7404372

Claim:
An emergency signaling device adapted to deploy from a trunk of a vehicle having a pre-existing trunk release and hazard light activation switch to alert oncoming traffic, the emergency signaling device comprising: a flexible substrate foldable between at least a folded position and an unfolded position wherein the flexible substrate is stowed in the folded position and biased toward the unfolded position, the flexible substrate has a back surface and a front surface of non-reflective material having a reflective material layer coupled thereto in a pattern; a plurality of fasteners in the flexible substrate for facilitating attachment of the emergency signaling device to the trunk so that the front surface faces rearward so as to be visible to oncoming traffic; a plurality of lights disposed within the reflective material layer, the plurality of lights illuminated to form indicia for displaying a message, the reflective material layer to collect and reflect light from approaching traffic and the plurality of lights to alert approaching traffic of the vehicle, and the plurality of lights being light emitting diodes; the flexible substrate stowed in the trunk of the vehicle in the folded position and deployed from the trunk to the unfolded position to display the message to alert approaching traffic and direct traffic away from the vehicle; and the flexible substrate is automatically and simultaneously released from the folded to the unfolded position upon sequenced activation of the vehicle's hazard light activation switch and trunk release.