In an era of ignoring safety announcements on planes, common sense and staying alert is key, say aviation insiders.
'Knowing what to do in an emergency could be the difference between life and death for you and your family,' says the UK Civil Aviation Authority on its website.
It often seems unnecessary to read the safety card in your seat pocket, but experts say you'll be the most likely to survive if you are able to recall the location of exits and emergency equipment, such as life jackets and oxygen masks.
According to experts, surviving he initial impact isn't everything. Passengers are then at risk of fire and smoke inhalation as well as water in the case of a water landing, meaning often the best way to save yourself is to exit the plane as quickly as possible.
STAY IN SHAPE
It also pays to be in peak physical condition if you aim to be able to escape a plane crash.
Being agile and fast means you in the best position to save yourself.
And being slim can help you squeeze through tight spaces, says Sherwood.
BE SELFISH
Putting your own oxygen mask on first is vital. During a loss of cabin pressure, the oxygen levels in the air can get so low that passengers could pass out within 20 seconds.
This is why cabin crew advise you to attend to yourself first before placing the mask on a child or companion.
If you really want to help young members of your family or other passengers, you need to be conscious yourself in order to do so.
DRESS DOWN
Avoid highly flammable synthetic fabrics such as polyesters or nylons, opting for cotton or wool. The initial impact is one thing, but following that there is a serious risk of fire in the plane.
And make sure you slip on a comfortable pair of flats rather than high heels, which can puncture evacuation slides and will slow down your exit (you'll have to kick them off before getting on the slide). Flip flops are also considered footwear that could slow you down in an emergency.
Other experts advise passengers not to kick off their shoes during the flight as, in the event of an accident, debris on the floor could hinder your chances of making a speedy exit from the aircraft if you are barefoot.
FORMULATE AN ACTION PLAN
In his book, The Survivors Club - The Secrets and Science That Could Save Your Life, Ben Sherwood, president of Disney-ABC Television Group, advises to formulate a plan of action the moment you board the aircraft.
He told Time, 'Research has shown that the first three minutes of a plane flight and the last eight - this is called the rule of plus three/minus eight - are when about 80 per cent of airplane accidents take place.
'In that time, you should not be blindfolded; you should not be drunk or have earphones on. You should really be paying attention, because you actually can survive a plane crash.'
He also says you should stay calm and be aware of the statistics, don't accept the worst case scenario, and remember than the probability of survival is surprisingly high.
DITCH YOUR BELONGINGS
According to a National Transportation Safety Board survey, 68 percent of passengers killed in plane crashes died due to post-crash fires, not injuries caused by the impact of a crash.
With as little as 90 seconds to exit the plane before the fire engulfs it, the time spent reaching for your carry-on luggage could be the difference between life and death, as well as holding up other passengers trying to leave the aircraft.
SIT NEAR AN EXIT
For the same reasons, memorise where the emergency exits are and count how many rows they are away. Ideally, sit near an exit.
The closer you are to an escape route, the higher your chance of survival.
FLY ECONOMY
Where you sit may also have a bearing on your survival. While those in premium classes might enjoy being lavished with fine food and service, it's actually safer to fly economy, according to a study using a Boeing 727.
Researchers conducted an experiment in which they crashed the aircraft carrying dummies with breakable bones into the Sonaran desert in Mexico.
During the experiment - which was arranged by Channel 4 and television production company Dragonfly - the first 11 rows of seats - those which would usually be where the most expensive seats would be located - ripped out as the front of the plane dipped.
The researchers concluded that no first-class passengers would have survived the impact but 78 per cent of the remaining passengers would have lived. So the chances of survival increase, the further back you are seated.
Anne Evans, a former investigator at the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, inspected the 727's black box and said the outcome proved today's aircraft - more modern than the 727 used in the experiment - are well equipped to cope with such crashes.
She said: 'It is safer to sit at the back of the aircraft where the flight recorder is. The front is more vulnerable because that often sees higher impact forces.
'I would pick somewhere which is comfortable and within a few rows of an emergency exit', she said.
ADOPT THE BRACE POSITION
In the same experiment using the Boeing 727, experts arranged three different crash dummies in three different positions to see how they survived the crash.
One was in the classic brace and wearing a seat-belt, one was belted but not in the brace position and the final dummy was not belted nor in the brace.
Following the crash, analysts found that the dummy in the brace position would have survived the impact, the one not in the brace would have suffered serious head injuries, and the dummy not wearing a seat-belt would have perished.
The position - which involves placing your head against the seat in front, putting your knees together and your feet on the floor - is used when the plane has to make an emergency landing on land or on water.
Conspiracists have suggested there is no validity in the safety of the position, with some going as far as to say the position could be more likely to kill passengers.
Not so, according to British Airways Captain Steve Allright. He told the Daily Telegraph: 'This position prevents flailing of the arms, minimises the risk of broken fingers and protects the head from moving objects.'
In 1989, the M1 Kegworth crash killed 47 of the 126 passengers on board. Many of the victims, and those left injured, were found to have legs broken below the knee, due to their legs being forced into the seats in front of them, as they had not adopted the brace position.
- Daily Mail
