5 Shocking Secrets And The Immortal Legacy Of The Jayne Mansfield Death Car

Decades after the tragic, high-speed crash that ended the life of blonde bombshell Jayne Mansfield, the wreckage of her 1966 Buick Electra remains one of Hollywood’s most macabre and sought-after artifacts. The car itself is more than just a piece of morbid history; it is a permanent, if gruesome, monument to a life cut short and, more significantly, a direct catalyst for a major, life-saving change in United States highway safety regulations.

As of late 2025, the story of the "Jayne Mansfield death car" continues to fascinate, not only for the sensational details of the accident itself—which involved her children, including future actress Mariska Hargitay—but also for the enduring mystery of the wreckage’s whereabouts and the powerful, unseen legacy it left on every truck on the road today. This is the definitive, updated look at the car that killed a star and saved countless lives.

The Life and Tragic End of Hollywood's Original Blonde Bombshell

Vera Jayne Palmer, known professionally as Jayne Mansfield, was a true Hollywood phenomenon, a vibrant and controversial figure whose career perfectly captured the sensationalism of the 1950s and early 1960s. Her life was defined by a relentless pursuit of fame, a highly publicized personal life, and a string of successful roles that cemented her status as a major sex symbol and a rival to Marilyn Monroe.

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• Full Name: Vera Jayne Palmer
• Born: April 19, 1933, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
• Died: June 29, 1967, at age 34, in Slidell, Louisiana
• Spouses: Paul Mansfield (1950–1958), Mickey Hargitay (1958–1964), Matt Cimber (1964–1966, divorce pending)
• Children: Jayne Marie Mansfield, Miklós "Mickey" Hargitay Jr., Zoltán Hargitay, Mariska Hargitay, Antonio "Tony" Cimber
• Key Career Highlights: Contract player at 20th Century Fox, Playboy Playmate of the Month (February 1955), Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year (1957).
• Notable Films: The Girl Can't Help It (1956), Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957), Too Hot to Handle (1960).

At the time of her death, Mansfield was traveling from Biloxi, Mississippi, to New Orleans, Louisiana, for a television interview. She was in a gray 1966 Buick Electra convertible with her boyfriend, Samuel "Sam" Brody, and her driver, Ronnie Harrison. Three of her five children—Miklós Jr., Zoltán, and Mariska—were asleep in the back seat.

The Terrifying Accident and the Myth of Decapitation

The fatal crash occurred in the early hours of June 29, 1967, on U.S. Route 90, just east of New Orleans. The area was notorious for its poor visibility, often obscured by a mosquito fogging machine operated by a chemical truck. The Buick Electra, driven by Harrison, was traveling at a high speed when it slammed into the rear of a slowing tractor-trailer truck.

The impact was catastrophic. Due to the high clearance of the trailer, the low-slung Buick slid completely underneath the truck. The force of the collision essentially sheared off the entire roof of the car. All three adult occupants—Mansfield, Brody, and Harrison—were killed instantly. The three children in the back seat, protected by the lower part of the car's body, miraculously survived with only minor injuries.

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The gruesome nature of the crash immediately fueled a sensational and enduring rumor: that Jayne Mansfield had been decapitated. While the official police report noted a "partial separation" of the skull, the widely circulated myth that her head was completely severed is technically inaccurate, though the injuries were horrific. The detail that *was* true, and perhaps even more chilling, involved her daughter. Future Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay, who was three years old at the time, has since revealed that she was accidentally left behind at the crash scene by the initial responders in the chaos of the wreckage.

The Unseen Legacy: How the Death Car Changed Highway Safety Forever

The most profound and lasting consequence of Jayne Mansfield’s death was not the sensational headlines, but a critical, life-saving change in federal vehicle safety regulations. The fact that the Buick was able to slide completely underneath the trailer—a phenomenon known as "underride"—was the direct cause of the fatalities.

Public outcry following the celebrity's death, coupled with years of lobbying by safety advocates, finally spurred the government to act. In 1969, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed a new safety standard. This regulation eventually mandated the installation of a horizontal steel bar—a rear underride guard—on the back of all semi-trailer trucks.

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• What is the Mansfield Bar? This safety device, officially known as a rear underride guard or a DOT (Department of Transportation) bumper, is a steel bar designed to prevent passenger vehicles from sliding underneath a truck's trailer in a rear-end collision.
• Impact and Importance: The bar works by absorbing the initial impact and ensuring that the collision force is directed to the car's frame, allowing the car's built-in crumple zones and airbags to function as designed. It is one of the most critical, yet often unnoticed, safety features on modern highways.
• Current Status: While the regulation has been updated over the years—with stricter standards for trailers manufactured after 1998—the "Mansfield Bar" remains a ubiquitous and essential piece of equipment. Jayne Mansfield’s tragic end is directly credited with saving thousands of lives by preventing countless underride accidents.

The Macabre Afterlife: Where is the Wreckage Now?

For decades, the wreckage of the 1966 Buick Electra has been a subject of intense, often morbid, curiosity. Unlike many celebrity death cars that are destroyed or disappear, the Mansfield car has had a documented, albeit fragmented, afterlife.

The car’s remains first went on display at the Tragedy in U.S. History Museum in St. Augustine, Florida, where it was a main attraction for years. This museum, however, is now long-defunct. The car’s body was later acquired by Hollywood history curator and documentarian Scott Michaels, the founder of Dearly Departed Tours and Artifact Museum in Hollywood, California.

As of 2025, the car’s current status is closely tied to this museum. While the entire vehicle may not be on permanent public display, the museum is known for owning and exhibiting authentic artifacts from the wreckage. In a truly unique and controversial move, the museum has even sold authenticated, macabre pieces of the car, including a limited run of motor oil that leaked from the engine block in 1967, to morbid collectors and fans. This practice ensures that the car, or at least pieces of it, remains in the public consciousness and is arguably the freshest, most unique information about the car's current status.

The wreckage serves as a physical, chilling reminder of the final moments of a Hollywood icon. Its continued existence and display, even in fragmented form, solidifies its place as one of the most historically significant and tragic automobiles in American history, connecting the glamor of Old Hollywood to the grim reality of highway safety.