While crashes are rare, here is what you should do if you experience one.

By Carissa Guffey, Staff Writer 

Have you ever been on a really sketchy elevator and thought, “This is where I die,” as you say a silent prayer? Well, fear no more! I have the perfect survival tactics you’ll need.

First, I should tell you that elevators are actually quite safe. Most accidents are not related to elevator failure but are injuries that happen to construction workers and maintenance crew. There is, however, the occasional accident where someone falls down a shaft or gets caught in the doors. So always double-check the elevator is there before walking in, and be extra careful around the doors!

If you are an unlucky soul and happen to experience an elevator crash, here is what you should do. Some people believe you should jump right before hitting the bottom to reduce your speed. Do not do this! Even if you had the skill to time it just right, it would barely have any effect. More than likely, you would just end up bashing your head on the ceiling. Ouch!

Another false theory is to bend at your knees, so your legs take the impact. This would likely result in bone breakage that would travel up the spine because you are perpendicular to the ground and, therefore, parallel to the impact force. Instead, what you should do is lie on your back and cover your head. This evenly spreads the impact throughout your body and is, therefore, less damaging. You would still probably break a few bones, but at least you would be more likely to survive!