As the proverb goes, caution is the parent of safety. The truth is that we never expect the worst to happen; hence we rarely prepare for what we would do if it did. For many, the only training they have ever done was fire and first aid training in school. In fact, according to research by the British Red Cross, only 5% of individuals have the knowledge and confidence necessary to give first aid in an emergency. Such a low percentage shows that the majority of the population is, in fact, unaware of how to respond to potentially detrimental situations. While health and fitness tips are important, tips that could save your life one day are, arguably, even more so.
Still, while knowing first aid is arguably No 1 of the life-saving skills one may possess, fire, a car crash, a tsunami, or a heart attack are just a few of the things that can be deadly. Hence, when someone in the AskReddit community asked, “What’s a tip that everyone should know which might one day save their life?” thousands of people jumped on the thread to share potentially life-saving tips with others. Things such as driving on a slippery road or putting an intoxicated person in the recovery position are just some of the life lessons not taught at school, yet, those might be the things that will save your life (or that of someone you love) one day.
Below, we’ve compiled some of the best answers from the thread, sharing the many tips that can save your life or someone you care about. Learned something new or discovered any good tips? Make sure to give them an upvote. Ever been in a life-threatening situation? Anything you learned from it or wish you had known earlier? Share your thoughts in the comments.
#41
"If you have been on the fence for a while about being too cold to continue, in a backcountry situation, you are already too cold. Immediately make emergency efforts to get warm. Being hypothermic severely clouds your judgement."
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22points
#42
"If you are being questioned by the police, and not arrested or detained, you are able to leave whenever you want. If you are "arrested" don't speak. Just don't speak and ask for a lawyer."
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22points
#44
"If you have an argument and or fight with someone, do not turn your back to them when you walk away. The back of your head is very vulnerable and walking away means they have a free shot. Also if you think a fight may occur and there is no way to escape, Put your back to a wall, and ensure you can see everything in front of you and nothing will be able to get behind you and surprise you. This is the worse-case scenario of course."
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22points
#45
"If you're lost in the woods, don't leave your location. People searching for you will start at your last known location/heading, and you'll just make their job harder by expanding the search area. If you must leave, follow the water. Early cities/towns were usually founded near a source of water, if you follow a stream you're more likely to run into civilization... usually downstream, but really depends on where you are."
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21points
#46
"Don't mix household cleaners. Especially don't mix bleach with ammonia. That'll produce a toxic gas that can kill you."
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21points
#47
"If there was an earthquake at the beach you're on and you see the water receding away, run to higher ground immediately because a tsunami is coming. If you're in a town near water and see the water in ditches or rivers flowing the wrong way, seek higher ground because a tsunami is coming."
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21points
#48
"Gesture towards your throat with your open hand, if you are choking in a restaurant."
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21points
#49
"If you need to break open a car window using a tool do not hit the middle, hit one of the corners. The middle of the window is reinforced to prevent it from being broken."
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21points
#50
"As a life long Floridian, I see this all the time here, and else where in the news. In the event of a disaster, stay away from downed power lines!! Don’t walk along the street with them, don’t drive your car over them, don’t take selfies with them. They’re thunder noodles and have been known to kill."
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20points
#51
"When pumping fuel if there is a fire do not pull the nozzle out. Just stop the flow if possible and back away. And hit the fire suppression system."
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20points
#52
"Shortness of breath can indicate heart problems. My father told our family doctor about it and they sent him for tests. They found problems and did open heart surgery. It saved his life and I want more people to know about this seemingly unrelated symptom."
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20points
#54
"Get a yearly physical. Hypertension and diabetes have little to no symptoms and are very deadly if left untreated."
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20points
#56
"Black bears will eat you if you play dead. Don't play dead. Fight back with whatever means you have."
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20points
#57
MarsNirgal said:
"Unless there is a danger in doing so, stay in your car if you're stranded in the desert/snow. If you're in the desert you may need to get under your car because of the heat, but don't get away from your car. Your car is easier to find than you. If you know where you are and know how to get safely to a safe place, do it, but don't go to search for help without aim. Don't walk on the roadside, you're gonna get hit."
"Unless there is a danger in doing so, stay in your car if you're stranded in the desert/snow. If you're in the desert you may need to get under your car because of the heat, but don't get away from your car. Your car is easier to find than you. If you know where you are and know how to get safely to a safe place, do it, but don't go to search for help without aim. Don't walk on the roadside, you're gonna get hit."
Zuzublue replied:
"Stay in your car always - unless there’s a serious guardrail and you can get far away. Had a friend get both legs broken while waiting for help standing on the side of the road."
"Stay in your car always - unless there’s a serious guardrail and you can get far away. Had a friend get both legs broken while waiting for help standing on the side of the road."
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19points
#58
"Run, even if they have a gun pointed at you. If they shoot you for running away they sure as hell were going to shoot you later - and probably worse stuff before that."
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19points
#59
WreckedButWhole said:
"Do not jump in the water to save a drowning person unless absolutely necessary i.e. a child etc. Drowning people tend to clasp on their rescuers and drag them under with them. Find something to throw or some sort of lifeline."
"Do not jump in the water to save a drowning person unless absolutely necessary i.e. a child etc. Drowning people tend to clasp on their rescuers and drag them under with them. Find something to throw or some sort of lifeline."
sweadle replied:
"If a drowning person does grab on, they will essentially try to climb you like a ladder or push you under to get the leverage to get some air. It's instinctive at that point and impossible to override. If you're being pushed under, just swim down out of their grasp, come up little ways away, and try to reapproach."
"If a drowning person does grab on, they will essentially try to climb you like a ladder or push you under to get the leverage to get some air. It's instinctive at that point and impossible to override. If you're being pushed under, just swim down out of their grasp, come up little ways away, and try to reapproach."
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19points
#60
"If a nuclear bomb is dropped near you, seek shelter immediately. Close all windows and doors and turn off anything that circulates air, such as heating, AC, and fans. Take off your clothes, shower well, shampoo your hair, but do not use conditioner (which could trap contaminated particles in your hair). Stay inside for at least 24 hours, 72 if you can. Don’t go outside for any reason, not even to look for family. If you do this, nuclear attacks are surprisingly survivable. So many people think they don’t need to have an emergency plan because they think they’d automatically die in a nuclear attack... don’t be like those people!"
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19points
