Many people believe that plane crashed are catastrophic and not survivable events. This has made them accept they cannot do anything when such disasters loon. But almost 95% of airplane crashes have survivors. So even if the worst does happen, your odds aren’t as bad as you might think. You can learn to prepare for each flight safety, stay calm during the crash itself, and survive the aftermath.
1 Sit in the tail of the aircraft.
Passengers in the tail of the aircraft have 40% higher survival rates than those in the first few rows in the event of a crash. Because a quick escape gives you the best chance for survival, it’s best to get seats as close as possible to an exit, on the aisle and in the back of the plane.
- Keep your seat belt on at all times.
Every centimeter of slack in your seat belt triples the G-Force you’ll experience in the crash, so keep your seat belt properly tightened at all times you’re on the aircraft.
Push the belt down as low over your pelvis as possible. You should be able to feel the upper ridge of the pelvis above the upper edge of the belt, which helps to brace you in an emergency much better than your soft stomach.
- Adopt the brace position
There’s no way that curling up in a ball would help you survive in a plane crash. but research has shown that brace positions do indeed help reduce the chances of survival in an emergency crash landing. The positions help reduce the velocity of your head when it inevitably slams into the seat in front of you. Moreover, they help minimize limb flailing.
Also, make sure your seat belt is securely fastened, low and tight over your lap, those bad boys (seat belts)are designed to withstand 3,000 pounds of force, which is about three times as much as your body could handle without passing. Trust them.
- Read the safety card and listen to the flight attendants.
Another thing you can do to overcome the Normalcy Bias is to read through the safety card as well as listen to the flight attendants when they give their pre-flight safety spiel. Just because you’ve amassed enough frequent flier miles to circumnavigate the globe 1,000 times, you’re definitely not off the hook. You may think you’re justifiably confident, but you’re probably complacent; in a report published a few years ago, the FAA found that frequent fliers were the least informed on what to do and most susceptible to the normalcy bias in the event of a plane crash.
Re-reading the safety card will remind you where the nearest exits are and what to do during a crash landing. As you read through the safety guidelines, formulate your action plan.
- Protect yourself from smoke
Fire and smoke are responsible for the largest percentage of crash fatalities. The smoke in an airplane fire can be very thick and highly toxic, so cover your nose and mouth with a cloth to avoid breathing it in. If possible, moisten the cloth to provide extra protection.
Stay low as you escape, to duck under the level of smoke. It might not seem like a big deal, but passing out due to smoke inhalation is one of the most dangerous things that can happen during this critical period.
- Dress comfortably.
You’ll need to be able to stay warm if you survive a crash. Even if that is not a consideration, the more of your body is covered during impact, the less likely you are to receive serious injuries or burns. Wear long pants, a long-sleeve t-shirt, and sturdy, comfortable, lace-up shoes.
Loose or elaborate clothing poses a risk, as it can get snagged on obstacles in the close confines of a plane. If you know you’re going to be flying over cold areas, dress appropriately and consider keeping a jacket on your lap.
Cotton or wool clothing is also preferable as it is less flammable. Wool is preferable to cotton when flying over water, as wool does not lose its insulating properties to the degree cotton does when wet.
- Pray
Prayer is the master key. Above all precautions this is a very important aspect of prayer, pray before entering the plane, pray when the plane is about to take off. Do not underestimate the power of prayer, you should pray based on your religion, the paramount thing is that you should just pray.
