Email: Outdoorfact@gmail.com
Address: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Around the globe, news of people that manage to keep their life after falling down from remarkable heights shows up every once in a while. However, it’s common knowledge that even short drops of a few meters may prove fatal, depending on the circumstances. So all things considered, how far do you have to fall to die for certain? What kinds of factors would determine whether people live or die in a free fall? Is it possible to increase the chance of survival while falling straight to the surface?
You have many questions like the above in mind but unable to answer them properly? In the case, the following information shall satisfy your curiosity.
Contents
Generally speaking, an awkward fall from 3 meters is all it takes to fracture your spine. Raise the height to 10 meters or so and you are looking at some serious injuries. But how far do you have to fall to die?
From a purely statistical viewpoint, people have about 50% chance of surviving a free fall from approximately 14.5 meters (equal to 4 stories). The mortality rate increases to 90% at 25.5 meters (equal to 7 stories) which often make it the average height of fatal fall. Of course, don’t count solely on the numbers because in reality, you have to take into account various variables, especially in outdoor activities (rock climbing, mountaineering, hiking,…). As a result, it’s of utmost importance that you refrain from putting yourself into a tough situation that necessitates free falling from tall places.
At all times, keep in mind that once you drop down from every height, there is always a risk of getting hurt during the landing.
In addition to the obvious height, there are a couple of influences that decide if you are going to walk away from a free fall. Some could be manipulated by humans while the rest prove nearly uncontrollable in most cases. So besides getting to know how far do you have to fall to die, it’s wise for you to learn about other relevant elements.
In a free fall, air resistance plays a critical role in determining the falling velocity which correspondingly dictates your eventual odd of withering the fall. That is why your body would be among the most essential factors that create the difference between life and death. At first glance, the effect of outfit, posture, … seems minimal individually but in the grand scheme of things, they might be what keeps you alive. So once the time comes, let’s hope that your body is in the perfect state to endure a fall.
Needless to say, it feels much better to land on soft snow instead of hard concrete after hitting the surface. Spots that have mushy properties tend to boosts your chance of survival in a fall. However, there are a lot of issues you have to worry about such as trees, structures, terrain and so on. Overall, friendly ground features should lessen the force of impact on your body while hostiles ones may end your life. Because of that, it’s definitely a good idea to have a firm grasp of the surrounding at all times.
While falling down, you need all the help you could get including wind, air density, … Obviously, it’s impossible to correctly deduce the exact conditions of the atmosphere, especially if you are currently free falling. Hence, you have nothing to do aside from praying that everything works in your favor. On occasions, you just have to leave it to luck.
Technically, there is no such thing as a surefire way that guarantees your survival here. That being said, you should be able to increase your odds of getting through a fall by implementing some methods. First, always attempt to land on the side to protect vital organs of the body. Second, proceed to extend your limbs as far as possible in order to create drag. Third, if possible, aim toward things that might break your fall in a gentle manner.
You can also learn these 2 best ways to survive from high fall on Wikihow: How to Survive a Long Fall
Regardless of the subject, everyone loves to hear unbelievable tales. So here are a couple of people that made it through nasty fall without losing their lives in the process.
Last Updated on July 6, 2019