Airlines safety recordOne thing safety experts are quick to emphasize is the remarkable safety record of commercial airlines.Only one in 1.2 million flights ends up in an accident, according to NTSB statistics. Vast improvements in safety training, in nonflammable aircraft materials and in firefighting equipment have made flying much safer than driving.

Accident probabilityThe average chances of being killed in an airplane crash in the United States are about 1 in 11 million. The odds of dying in an auto accident are about one in 5,000.

Survival rateU.S. NTSB study U.S. 1983-2000 survivability is 95.7%. In serious accidents where fire and substantial damage occurred, 76.6% of passengers still survived. 40% of fatalities that did occur happened in crashes that were survivable.Close to 50% of all airplane crash fatalities might have been prevented had passengers taken proper action.

As safe as an escalator"Riding on a commercial airplane has got about the same amount of risk as riding on an escalator."That doesn't mean we should take it lightly and that we shouldn't be prepared. Don't let it scare you. Just have a plan.

Fly in bigger planes if possibleFly jet instead of turboprop and ideally, western-made aircraftFly with a legacy airline if you want value / protection

DRESS FOR SURVIVALBefore you leave for the airport, dress appropriately. In the event of an emergency. You'll want to be wearing practical shoes and clothing.

Imagine having to run away from a burning plane. If you have to do that, how well are your flip-flops going to perform? How well are your high-heeled shoes going to perform?

According to the NTSB report, 68 percent of passengers killed in plane accidents died as a result of injuries sustained during post-crash fires.

It's smart to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts to protect your skin from flames and glass, metal, sharp objects and the elements.

Its better to wear tie-on shoes that you're not going to run out of and long pants.

Jeans are good. In the summer that's really tough, but short shorts are just real dangerous

Choice of seatAfter you board, find the two closest exits and count the rows between them and your seat. In the event of darkness or smoke, feel the seats and count until you reach the exit row.

Remember the Five Row Rulethose who survive a plane crash typicallyonly have to move an average of five rows to escape.Beyond five rows the chance of getting out alive decreases.

FIVE-ROW RULEBetter chances of escapeLess chances of escape Aisle seat: 64% survival Window seat: 58% survivalIn case evacuation is required

Family travelIf you're with your family, divide the responsibility of helping your children between you and your spouse. It's easier for one parent to help a single child than for both to try to keep everyone together.Talk to your children about what to do in the event of an emergency.

In your rush to get out of the plane, dont forget your kids. That actually happens. Your brain does stupid things in disasters. Keep reminding yourself, I have kids. I have kids. I have kids.

Pay attention to the preflight instructions, as planes can have different equipment.READ THE SAFETY CARD

Think before you drink. Consuming alcoholwill slow your response time and cloud your decision-making.You want full presence of mind in the event of a crash.

THE PLUS 3 / MINUS 8 RULEIn the aviation world,Plus 3/Minus 8 refers to the first three minutes after takeoff and the last eight minutes before landing.

According to flight crash investigators, close to 80% of all plane crashes occur during this time frame (the events leading up to the recent Asiana crashhappened during the last 8 minutes of descent). In between those times, the chances of a plane crash occurring dropdramatically. Thus, if you want to up your chances of survival, you need to be extra vigilant and ready to take action during the first 3 minutes after takeoff and the last 8 minutes before landing. Stay awake during these periods.

BEFORE TAKEOFF AND LANDING:Dont sleep.Make sure your shoes are on and secured. Women: wear flats and not high heels. Its hard to run instilettos.Make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened low and tight.Headphones offGo over your action plan.You dont need to be paranoid during this time, justvigilantlyrelaxed.During these times, it makes sense to keep your shoes on, keep your tray table up and make note of the two nearest exits (both in front of and behind you). Have a clear path to the aisle and the nearest exitExperts also recommend placing a carry-on itemunder the seat in front of you. That gives a block there so the feet and legs can't go up under the seat in front. Broken bones in feet and legs are common in crashes.

Ready for the impact. The official FAA crash position is to extend your arms, cross your hands and place them on the seat in front of you, and then place your head against the back of your hands. ASSUME BRACE POSITION

Tuck your feet under your seat as far as you can. If you have no seat in front of you, bend your upper body over with your head down and wrap your arms behind your knees. Always stow your carry-on bag under the seat in front of you to block the area.ASSUME BRACE POSITION

ASSUME BRACE POSITIONResearch has shown that brace positions increase the chances of survival in an emergency crash landing. The positions help reduce the velocity of your head when itinevitablyslams into the seat in front of you. Moreover, they help minimize limb flailing.

Also, make sure your seatbelt issecurelyfastened, low and tight over your lap. These aredesignedto withstand 3,000 pounds of force, which is about three times as much as your body could handle without passing out.

Put on your oxygen mask as soon as it drops. You have no more than60 seconds before you pass out. DECOMPRESSION / EMERGENCY DESCENTYou have less thana minute before you pass out. That's why they tell you to put on your mask before assisting others. You won't be able to help anyone if you are unconscious.

Airplane cabins are pressurized so you can breathe normally at 30,000 feet. When a cabin loses pressure, theres so little air at high altitudes that getting oxygen to your bloodstream is next to impossible. Thats where oxygen masks come in. They pump pure oxygen into your nose and mouth so that you can get the air you need.

According topassengerstudies, most folks think they can survive an hour without a mask after a plane loses pressure. Just a few seconds of oxygen deprivation can cause mental impairment.

Dont panicMany people who perish in plane crashes could have avoided it if they had not made some fatal errors. The biggest enemy in a crash scenario ispanic. Keeping your wits and maintaining focus will do more to save you than anything else. Panic is the reason that many passengers find themselves unable to do something as simple as releasing their seatbelt. The most frequent use of a safety belt is in your car, with a push-button release. In the heat if the moment, remembering that the plane's belt has a pull-release isn't second nature. For this reason, many crash victims are found still strapped into their seats.

Overcome the Normalcy Bias With an Action Plan

Were all naturally affected by the Normalcy Bias. This state of mind causes our brains to assume that things will be predictable and normal all the time.When things arent normal, it takes our brain a long time to process this. Instead of springing to action when something unexpected happens, our brain kind of shrugs and figures that what is going on cant be so bad, because truly bad events are so out of the ordinary.

Should it be nighttime, or the interior lights fail, you wont have to succumb to confusion because youll know right where to go. Size up thepassengersaround you to see who could be potential roadblocks to your exit. Mentally rehearse quicklyspringingto action as soon as the plane comes to a stop.

Another reason its important to have an action plan is that theres a good chance you wont have too much assistance from the flight crew. One study found that 45 percent of the flight attendants in survivable crashes areincapacitated in some way. You need to be ready to take action without direction from anyone.

EvacuationIn the event of fire, stay as low as you can and get out as quickly as possible. The smoke and fumes from a burning plane are highly toxic and more likely to kill you than the flames.

EvacuationNo matter what you believe can't be replaced, never attempt to take your carry-on luggage with you during an emergency exit.

EvacuationIf you make it out of the plane in one piece, get as far away as possible as quickly as you can and tuck behind something large in case of an explosion.

90-second ruleThe airline industry refers to the first 90 seconds of a plane crash as "golden time." If you're able to stay calm and move fast within this time frame, you have a good chance at getting out of the plane.It takes, on average,just 90 secondsfor a fire to burn through the planes aluminumfuselageand consumeeverythingand everyone in it.

DitchingDon't inflate your life vest until you're outside the cabin. It will restrict your movement.

**Accident probabilityThe average chances of being killed in an airplane crash in the United States are about 1 in 11 million. Survival rateU.S. NTSB study U.S. 1983-2000 survivability is 95.7%. In serious accidents where fire and substantial damage occurred, 76.6% of passengers still survived. 40% of fatalities that did occur happened in crashes that were survivable.Close to half of all airplane crash fatalities might have been prevented had passengers taken proper action.

***If you have the choice between flying in a puddle jumper or a 737, choose the 737. According to FAA investigations, larger planes have more energyabsorptionin a crash which means youre subjected to less deadly force, and that may equate to a better survival rate. This fact alone is why I try to fly on Southwest whose fleet consists only of 737s whenever possible.The carrier is also rated asthe third safest in the world(theirrecent landing gear malfunctionnotwithstanding). (Landing gear malfunctions arent actually a big deal, by the way.) Also avoid regional carriers if possible they have anaccidents and incidents rate double that of national carriersand their pilots are often less experienced and overworked. Note that national airlines frequently use a regional carrier for some of the routes that fly under their name.