With the news of the USAir plane crash in New York’s Hudson River, many people may conclude that they are more common than they truly are. Plane crashes only seem common because they always make the news, but just imagine what it would be like if every car accident was reported on the news! Another surprising fact is that most people actually survive plane crashes. Estimates of the proportion of people who survive plane crashes in the U.S. range from 70 to 95 percent. Your chances of survival increase if you know what to do in the event of a plane crash. Here are some tips from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on how to survive a plane crash:

1. There is no safest seat. Recent research indicates that where you sit in the plane has little impact on your chances of surviving a plane crash. If a fire starts in the front of the plane, it’s better to be sitting in the back, and vice versa.
   
2. Count the rows. When you board the plane, count the rows between your seat and the nearest exit. One of the biggest impediments to escaping a plane is low visibility. This is why airlines dim the lights during takeoff and landing, so if there is an incident and the plane loses power, your eyes will be better adjusted to find your way out. Being able to count the rows as you pass them can help get you to an exit. The floor lighting can also help lead you to an exit.
   
3. Read the safety card. If you have flown more than a few times, you probably no longer consult the laminated safety card located in the seat back in front of you. Read it. It can help familiarize you with the layout of that particular plane and the locations of the exits, and helps you visualize how you would escape the plane in the event of a crash. Even if you are very familiar with the plane you are on, it never hurts to review the information to keep it fresh in your mind.
   
4. Properly brace for landing. The FAA says the safest position to adopt when a plane is coming in for a crash landing is to cross your hands on the seat in front of you and put your head against your hands. That way, when the plane hits, you won’t be thrown forward into the seat in front of you. Stay in that position until the plane is on the ground.
   
5. Forget about your bags. The biggest mistake people make when trying to evacuate a plane is attempting to take their baggage with them. LEAVE YOUR POSSESSIONS BEHIND. It is not worth it. They will only slow you down, especially if you have to find them in a dark cabin.
   
6. "Stop, go and stay low." When the plane come to rest, start moving toward an exit right away, keeping low to the ground to minimize the amount of toxic smoke you inhale. The important thing is to get out fast. People who have never seen a fire burn in person are always shocked at how fast it spreads. FAA experiments show that within 20 seconds of the start of a fuel fire, airplane seats decompose, and within 50 seconds, the poisonous fumes in the fuselage are as toxic as any poison gas. After 90 seconds, fire consumes anyone who is still on board.
   
7. Remain orderly. Even though time is of the essence in a plane evacuation, it does little good to try and jump over others who are also trying to escape. It is best to remain orderly: everyone can’t cram through the exit door at once.
   
8. Go feet first. If you are exiting via an evacuation slide, jump out feet first. Don't sit down to slide. Place arms across your chest, elbows in, and legs and feet together. If you are wearing high-heeled shoes, remove them.
   
9. Clear the area. After you exit the aircraft, get away from crash site as soon as possible. Remain alert for emergency vehicles and if you are able, assist injured passengers in an area a safe distance from the plane.
   
10. Don't go back. Never return to a burning aircraft. Not for any reason. Attempting to do so is suicide.

Source: Federal Aviation Administration, Safety Information, March 2005. http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_safe/information/


_{Photo: Ole C Eid, Flickr, Creative Commons}