Tips for Safe Air Travel by Plane

They say traveling by air is, by far, the safest way to go anywhere. This is true. There are far less deaths per year due to plane crashes than any by driving or riding in a motor vehicle. What is scary to most people is that they are totally out of control of the situation when in a plane.

If you visit the National Safety Council’s Website, you can view your odds for dying in a multitude of different ways. It’s a bit morbid, I realize, but it really puts things into perspective regarding air travel related deaths. According to this site, there were 653 deaths in air and space travel in 2002, as apposed to 20,623 deaths in cars, trucks, and vans.

Crashes

Surviving a crash will depend greatly on where you are seated, where the plane crashes, and the height from which the plane falls. Sometimes there is just nothing you can do.

There are a few things you can do to up your chances of survival in case of a crash, however. The first is to fly non-stop when at all possible, as most crashes occur due to problems landing or taking off. Sit near an exit if possible, and know where the exits are in relation to your seat.

Know exactly how to disengage your seatbelt. Also take some time to read about the oxygen masks that fall in front of you in an emergency.

The most important thing to remember in the event of a crash landing is to get out as quickly as possible, but do not push, shove, or panic. Listen to instructions if they are being offered and leave your possessions behind. Your life, and your family are more important than anything else.

Injury

The following tips are geared towards helping you avoid injury to yourself or your fellow passengers in situations other than major plane crashes.

Turbulence is a common occurrence in air travel. Planes deal with turbulence much like cars on the road deal with wind. Just as a driver compensates when heavy gusts hit their car, a pilot compensates when they hit air pockets in the air. A plane coming down due to turbulence is almost unheard of, but it can cause injuries to passengers on the plane.