Is falling backwards more lethal?

[Neogoloid]

If I fall backwards, do I have a higher chance of dying than if I fall forward facing?

 

[Lookoutbelow]

No one can predict that. Your body will do whatever it does once you jump. You will either succeed or you won't. There are no guarantees in the suicide game. I plan on jumping too.

 

[gbi2]

I'm not sure either. I've read that someone even died from crouching and just rolling forward - and not even from a great height. Maybe them being 'rolled up' caused damage to their spine or back that caused death?

Then I read, a woman, many years ago had her fall slowed by her dress, which acted as a parachute and tipped her upside down before making her land sitting down in some mud, so she survived a fall that 99% of people have died from. This has made me think that some clothing could also make a difference between life and death. It's cold now and I had thought if I jump I'll be wearing a thick coat as I hate the cold, but I might even take it off or switch to a jacket

People are also advised to increase a chance of surviving a fall, to try not to tense the muscles as that could cause injury to be more severe in a localised area of the body.

 

[NoHorizon]

I feel like, unless you're a professional diver, once you leave the ground and your body is in free fall you'll have very little control over how you land.

 

[MoonDancer]

I feel like, unless you're a professional diver, once you leave the ground and your body is in free fall you'll have very little control over how you land.

I feel like this too. Everyone says "Land on your head/neck" but I think it would be very hard to control yourself while free falling, especially with only a few seconds to think and react.

 

[Yaffle]

If I fall backwards, do I have a higher chance of dying than if I fall forward facing?

My gut feeling is it would be far more difficult to control your fall backwards.

Also, I've always imagined a running jump off a cliff rather than just topple over the edge.

 

[figurehead]

I'm totally sure, but decided to write because I fell (accidentally) backwards off the stairs at a certain height and despite not having me a terrible height I fell from, apparently passively, makin g no attempt to grab hold of something. Anyway, I fell against a glass table, so if I'd banged my head it could've already been lethal. So it really depends not only how you fall and what you fall against, of course. For that, I ended up with three fractures in my spine, but I'm alive. If I'd fallen faceward, I think the injuries would've been less severe, because the immediate instinctive is to try to get hold of something and stretch your arms to break your fall.