If you find yourself in a free falling elevator, this is what you need to do to get out alive

Unfortunately, no one in the world is completely safe from the dangers of life. But it is in our power to find out beforehand how we should act if, God forbid, we find ourselves in a dangerous situation. In fact, if we act accordingly in such a situation we can save our lives and the lives of others.

Today we share with you the recommendations of scientists and engineers as to what you should do and what you should not do in case you find yourself in a free falling elevator.

Under no circumstances should you jump at the moment of fall

First of all, it will be very difficult to jump if you are in free fall mode. Secondly, your jump will reduce your speed of fall as much as it does, which is bad news for most people. Thirdly, you do not know which limb in your body will land, so you can't know what damage you will cause. The good people at Discovery Channel have proven that you should never do that. Watch their video.

Don't stand straight

This is not a good idea either, as 10 times your body weight has dropped on your feet during the fall. This can lead to extremely serious injuries.

Best position to be in during impact: Lie on your back on the elevator floor

As soon as you feel the elevator begin to fall, immediately lie on your back on the elevator floor. In this posture, the intensity of the impact will spread evenly throughout the body.

If there are many people in the elevator and you can't lie down, sit down or kneel

In this situation, the best thing you can do is to sit on the elevator floor. In this position your skeletal load will be smaller than if you stand. If there is no room at all, then at least try to bend your knees, as this will help reduce the intensity of the impact.

Illustration: Yekaterina Ragozina for BrightSide