How to survive a plane crash: The deadly common seatbelt error... why you should NEVER wear cotton if flying over the ocean... and where to sit

Is flying still the safest way to travel? Americans might be forgiven for thinking otherwise given the alarming string of recent disasters.

On Sunday, a small plane crashed in the parking lot of a retirement community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, injuring all five people on board and destroying half a dozen cars.

That incident followed a devastating midair collision in Washington DC in late January, when all 67 people aboard an American Airlines flight and an army helicopter died. Two days later, a Medevac jet crash in Philadelphia killed seven people.

Then there was February's regional airline crash off the coast of Nome, Alaska, that left 10 dead, as well two close calls later in the month. First, a Delta flight with a 'haze'-filled cabin made an emergency landing in Atlanta and then another Delta plane crash-landed and flipped over at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Experts may insist that, statistically speaking, you're safer on a flight than driving in your car - but these recent crashes are a deeply unsettling trend.

So if you are getting on a plane, is there anything you can do to avoid becoming a victim? Here are the measures you CAN take that might mean the difference between life and death if disaster strikes at 35,000 ft.

THINK ABOUT YOUR WARDROBE

Many passengers dress to be as comfortable as possible on long flights, but doing so may not improve your chance of survival in an accident. 

The more of your body that is covered during an impact the better, as it reduces the injury from burns and wounds. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants and a sturdy pair of shoes. If flying over a cold region, keep a warm jacket to hand. If flying over water, wear wool instead of cotton as the fabric keeps its insulating properties better when wet.

Loose and fussy clothing is not advised as it can easily get caught when moving at speed in a confined space, like trying to rush off a plane.

Avoid high heels or sandals, which can rip plane evacuation slides or leave feet vulnerable to broken glass and toxic liquids.

DON'T SIT AT THE FRONT

Yes, there really is a silver lining for those who find themselves in at the back of the plane. Research shows that those in the more expensive seats up front generally have the worst chance of surviving a crash.

Safety experts stress that every crash is different and that there is no 'magic safe seat', but given that so many planes crash nose-first, some believe that your best chance is to sit at the back.

When a Boeing 737-800 crashed in South Korea last December after a bird strike, the only two people who survived were a pair of flight attendants seated in the very back of the plane. All the other 179 people on board were killed.

A 2015 study by Time magazine, which collected 35 years of crash data from the Federal Aviation Administration, found that the rear seats in an aircraft had a fatality rate of 32 percent while front seats had a 38 percent fatality rate. However, for those in the middle of the plane, it was only 29 percent.

This, say experts, reflects the fact that the emergency exits over the wings are in the middle of the plane. What matters most in surviving a crash, they argue, is how quickly passengers can evacuate.

NOTE THE LOCATION OF EXIT ROWS

With that in mind, count the number of the rows between your seat and the closest exit row and, if necessary, write it down. If the plane crashes, in the ensuing smoke, darkness and general confusion, finding that exit could be infinitely more challenging. 

If you're actually sitting in an exit row, take a look at the door and understand how to open it. (A flight attendant will usually do this for you - but not if they're incapacitated.)

KEEP YOUR SEATBELT ON... TIGHT

This is really important. According to research, every centimeter (0.4 inches) of slack in a passenger's seat belt triples the G-Force they'll experience in a crash. A tighter seatbelt also limits how much the body flails around.

Try to push the belt down your body so that it's over your pelvis rather than your stomach. The former is firmer and helps to brace you much better for impact.

YOUR OXYGEN MASK BEFORE OTHERS

Hollywood disaster movies love to show the hero or heroine unselfishly helping other passengers around them to put on their masks before attending to their own.

Resist that urge. If the cabin loses pressure, you have only about 15 seconds at most to start breathing through your mask before you lose consciousness. 

Once you have your own mask on, you can help others – even after they’re unconscious.

WORK OUT WHERE THE PLANE WILL CRASH

If you're flying above water, put your life jacket on. But don't inflate it until you're out of the plane, otherwise you could be in for all sorts of problems: if the cabin fills with water, you would float to the ceiling and it would be very difficult to swim back down and exit the plane. It might also tear during the evacuation, rendering it useless for buoyancy.

If the plane is coming down in cold weather, keep a blanket or coat to hand as the aircraft descends.

BRACE FOR IMPACT

Having returned your seat to its upright position, make sure you shoes are securely on your feet and stow away any loose items that might fly around the cabin.

There are two standard crash 'brace' positions. If you can reach the seat in front of you, lean against it, placing one hand palm-down on the seat back and crossing the other hand - also palm down - over the first hand. Rest your forehead against the backs of your hands. Sometimes, in this position, experts recommend instead lacing your fingers to cradle it as you lean your head against the seat.

Alternatively, if you cannot reach the seat in front of you, lean forward and press your chest on your thighs and your head between your knees, grabbing your ankles.

AVOID THE SMOKE

Statistically, fire and smoke are responsible for more deaths in plane crashes than other causes. Many survivors pass out from the smoke, which on a burning aircraft can be particularly noxious. Try to cover your nose and mouth with a cloth - preferably a damp one - to avoid inhaling it.

While heading towards an exit, try to stay as low as possible to duck under the smoke which is likely to be rising towards the ceiling. Look out for other passengers who remain in their seats, victims perhaps of a psychological condition known as 'negative panic' in which people cannot assert themselves in a crisis.

LEAVE YOUR BELONGINGS

In tests, aircraft manufacturers need to show they can evacuate a large passenger plane in 90 seconds but it often takes much longer in a real accident as so many things - from jammed doors to a passenger stampede - can go wrong.

Safety experts warn survivors should not try to take their belongings with them as this will only slow them and other people down and block the aisles (and items may be salvageable later). Unfortunately, past crashes show passengers repeatedly trying to take their carry-on luggage with them, even when the plane is on fire. The bags can also easily puncture evacuation chutes.

DON'T HANG AROUND

Once you've exited the plane, move at least 500 ft upwind from the crash site as soon as possible. Although you don't want to go too far as you await rescuers, the plane could explode at any moment and the flames could spread far further than you imagine. The same rule holds true even if you've landed in water - swim away.

Above all, say experts, when you know you are traveling in a packed plane and people all about you are losing their heads as it's about to crash, try to stay calm.