Preparation and Prevention

     Following these 11 safety tips can reduce your chances of being hurt while flying:

1. Most accidents occur during takeoff, climb, descent, and landing. Therefore taking nonstop flights would decrease your chances of being in an accident.

2. Aircraft that hold 30 passengers are under strict regulations. Flying larger planes is safer.

3. Listen to the safety briefing. This is a good time to count the seat rows between you and at least two exits. If smoke were to fill the aircraft you may need to rely on this count to get out safely. If you have any questions ask the flight attendants.

4. Carry on bags must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Overhead storage bins are not meant to hold heavy objects. If you have trouble lifting a bag into the storage bin then it should be stored somewhere else on the plane. Carry on bags could become flying objects during turbulence.

5. Keeping your seat belt on gives you extra protection if the plane should experience turbulence. In one recent study that took place over 10 years 300 passengers who received serious injuries due to turbulence were studied. Not one person who received a serious injury was wearing a seat belt.

6. Always listen to the flight attendants. Quick response to a request can make a difference.

7. The following items are considered hazardous and should not be carried on an aircraft:

   1. explosives (matches, fireworks, flares, gunpowder, ammunition, loaded firearms, dynamite, etc.)

   2. other weapons (knives with a blade of 4 inches or more)

   3. gases (hairspray, spray paint, oxygen tanks, self-inflating rafts, etc.)

   4. flammable liquids and solids (gasoline, cigarette lighters, etc.)

   5. oxidizers and organic peroxides (bleach, nitric acid, fertilizers, swimming pool chemicals)

   6. poisons (weed killers, insecticides, rodent poisons, etc.)

   7. infectious materials (medical laboratory specimens, bacterial cultures)

   8. corrosives (drain cleaners, car batteries, acids, alkalis, lye, mercury)

   9. organics (peroxides)

   10. radioactive materials (smoke detectors, nuclear metals)

   11. magnetic materials (strong magnets such as those in loudspeakers)

8. Flight attendants are trained to handle hot drinks. Let them pour your coffee, tea, or cocoa.

9. Alcohol will affect you more strongly in an airplane. Don't drink too much.

10. If an emergency should arise, don't panic. Think before acting.

11. Wear clothing made of natural fibers such as cotton, wool, denim, and leather. Synthetic fibers can melt when heated. Avoid wearing shorts or skirts. Long pants and long sleeves provide more protection. Wear low-heeled shoes that lace or have straps, boots, or tennis shoes. High heeled shoes must be taken off before using the escape slide.

Preparation and Prevention

When an Accident Occurs

Online Quiz on Plane Safety

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