You see it in the movies.
People jump from great heights
and land without injuries.
Superheroes do it all the time,
but what if you don't
have superpowers?
Falls are the leading cause of accidental
death worldwide.
And according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
falls are the main cause
of death for construction workers.
But plummeting down the side of a
building doesn't always have to be
a death sentence.
It will be hard to focus as you free fall
towards the ground,
but if you follow these steps,
you just might live to tell the tale.
The average lethal distance for falls
is around four stories or 15 m (48 ft).
If you fall from the seventh story,
you have a 90% chance of surviving.
And almost no one survives a fall
from 10 stories or higher.
But there are some things you can do
to increase your chance of surviving.
Pretend you're a human pinball,
and try to hit against things.
This sounds counterintuitive,
but hear us out.
As you hit against things,
it will slow your fall and
decrease your momentum.
You don't want to hit the ground
at terminal velocity.
Landing at that speed will kill you.
And stay loose, don't stiffen up.
You could land awkwardly,
and being stiff could cause
a bone to pop out.
Bending your knees could help.
Look for something to grab onto
as you fall.
That will either slow your fall
or allow you to hang on
for dear life until help arrives.
Choose where you want to land,
and aim toward it.
Something soft,
like a patch of grass.
You could even land on a car,
as it could help absorb part of the impact.
Try to land with your feet first
then roll to the side.
Your feet will absorb most of the impact,
helping to protect your internal organs.
Landing on your back or stomach
can cause severe head and spine injuries,
as well as fatal heart damage.
Now you have landed,
stay on the ground.
Don't try to jump up and dust yourself off.
Even if you feel fine,
it's probably due to the adrenaline rush
from the fall.
Any movement could make
your injuries worse.
So use your voice to call for help,
and stay on the ground until help arrives.
Falling is scary.
But if you stay calm and follow
these steps, then you have
a better chance of surviving.
In 2014,
a one-year-old boy was playing
on an 11th-floor balcony
and fell off.
He fractured his ribs,
backbone,
arms, and skull.
Miraculously,
he had no severe head injuries.
Against all odds, this little guy survived.
So you survived the fall,
and you're being airlifted to a hospital.
But suddenly,
the helicopter starts
spinning out of control.
You're going to crash.
How could you survive that?
Find out here
on How to Survive.