The plane crash danger and claiming compensation

Although images of the wreckages of plane crashes might be some of the most iconic of the 20th century, forming part of our collective subconscious and our collective fears, air travel is actually among the safest modes of transport available to man.

Yet this relative safety does not prevent many of the more than 3 million people who embark on air journeys each day from fearing for their lives. Perhaps this is simply a perfectly natural response to the idea of being flown at a height of 40,000 feet, with practically no control over life-and-death events, or maybe it is a response to the myriad images contained within popular culture of aeroplanes plummeting from the skies, delivering all passengers to certain death.

Whatever the case, the reality is very different, as data from the United States help explain. In the seventeen-year period ending the last century, there were 568 plane crashes in the United States. In total, there were 53,487 people on board, with 51,207 surviving.

This means that, as the danger of death is lower than at any time in the past, the danger of an aeroplane accident resulting in passenger injuries is possibly higher than ever before.

Despite the feelings of powerlessness many air travel passengers experience, air safety experts agree that there are things that can be done to minimise the risk of death and personal injury.

Professor Ed Galea, aviation safety expert with the University of Greenwich, comments, "Surviving an aircraft crash is not a matter of fate. You can help yourself getting out of an aircraft quickly, and so there are things you can do to improve your chances of surviving."

"People tend to try and press a button on the seatbelt because in this emergency situation, they revert to normal behaviour. And what's normal behaviour for most people? Well, they experience a seatbelt in their car and in their car, it's a push-button system.

"This seat belt is different to what's in your car; it's a latch that you've got to pull."

Professor Helen Muir from Cranfield University agrees that passengers can take certain measures to protect themselves from injury, "If you want to survive an aircraft accident, even though they're very infrequent, every time you get on an aeroplane you want to sit down and then make a plan," she says.

"In other words, look around you and see where your nearest cabin crew are, because they're the people who will tell you what to do and will make a huge difference. Then look where your nearest exits are, both in front, behind and across, and work out how you would get there."

No win, no fee lawyers with experience representing passenger injury claims
The no win, no fee lawyers who work with YouClaim are all drawn from panel firms who work under the industry benchmark governance of the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

They are committed to the needs of people who have become injured or lost a loved one as the result of transport accidents.

For this kind of claim, their service is available to you absolutely no cost, win or lose. Furthermore, we protect you from all costs incurred by the opposing legal side and, under the terms of our no-cuts policy, guarantee all winning claimants 100% compensation.

If you wish to find out more about the service that has given us such a reputation for excellence, fill out an online claim form, or have an echat.

If you would like to speak to a legal advisor now about claiming plane crash compensation, call or UK hotline, free, on 0800 10 757 95.