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The world is full of surprises. One moment you might be having a relaxing swim and the very next a rip current is dragging you away from the shore.

But that doesn't mean that we have to stop enjoying ourselves. Instead, we should focus on what we can control and prepare for all the curveballs.

And surprisingly, social media might be a good place to start. TikTok user Knowledgesaurus has been creating a video series that he calls "Facts that can save your life" where he explains how to escape dangerous situations or at least greatly improve your chances of staying safe.

Each of his uploads has received millions of views.

Continue scrolling to check out the videos and tell us if you think they're useful or not in the comments.

TikTok user Knowledgesaurus has been creating a video series, called "Facts that can save your life"

@knowledgesaurus

Facts That Could Save Your Life #fyp #facts #funfacts #hacks #lifehack #lifehacks #survivalhacks

♬ original sound - Knowledgesaurus

The clips already have millions of views

@knowledgesaurus

Facts That Could Save Your Life Pt.2 #fyp #facts #funfacts #hacks #lifehack #lifehacks #survivalhacks

♬ original sound - Knowledgesaurus

And his tips seem really useful

@knowledgesaurus

Facts That Could Save Your Life Pt.3 #fyp #facts #funfacts #hacks #lifehack #lifehacks #survivalhacks

♬ original sound - Knowledgesaurus
#1

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If you ever find yourself buried in rubble and can't get out, don't yell. You'll end up just wasting energy and losing your voice. What you should do is grab something and start tapping in intervals of three. Humans are great at noticing patterns and the rescuers will start to move towards that. Once you hear them, then you can start yelling.

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Draaideur
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

. . . - - - . . . = SOS, especially changing constant patterns get noticed

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#2

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If a tornado looks like it's not moving, that means it's heading towards you.

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Robert T
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or away from you, but better to assume that it is coming towards you!

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#3

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

A lot of backpacks have a hidden built-In whistle. The actual clip on many modern day backpacks that are meant for hiking or camping have that built-In whistle.

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#4

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If you're ever at the beach and you see the water receding or far away from where it normally is, run. This normally means a tsunami is coming. And someone who paid attention in school in 2004 used this and saved their own life by getting out of there.

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Night Owl
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tilly Smith was 10; saved her own life, her family and many more https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilly_Smith

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#5

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If you ever see square waves in the water, get out immediately. These waves have powerful currents under the water that can sweep you out and take you away.

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denzoren
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh yes...or if the sand is being tumbled a lot, that's usually another sign.

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#6

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If your car ever goes into water, open a window or door immediately. If you don't do this, the pressure differential is too great and it will keep everything shut and you have to wait until your car is completely filled with water in order to get out.

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Bobert Robertson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As an ice fisherman I've learned that if you choose to drive your car on ice, regardless of how thick it is, keep your seatbelt off and your windows down. That said, I don't care if the ice is 2 feet thick, I'm walking or snowmobiling, not driving a truck on it.

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*high five* I grew up ice fishing. You walked, or even a couple times we dog-sledded, but no way we went out on that in a car/truck even if the ice was supposedly thick enough. Sure. Then you get teh one patch it ain't... *sploosh*

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or just carry a window-breaking tool with you (they're $5 at the local store) so if you end up in water (by accident, I would hope?).... you can break a window, swim out, and live. RIP, MsMc. We miss you, and you are why we all carry those things now.

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Spikey Bunny
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can also remove the adjustable headrest and use the metal poles to pop/break the windows... but much better to be sure the door/windows are open

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JenniG
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This scenario is one of my worst nightmares, especially with kids in the car.

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Bumblebee
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, especially with kids and even more if they are still in car seats! More work to (try to) get them out. Yikes, I don't want to think about it. But you never know what happens.. So on the other hand you have to be as prepared as possible. Though you can't ever fully prepare, because at the moment it will overwhelm you and shock you. I think even for people who are trained to get out of a car under water. The moment it really happens unexpectedly, there is no way of truly preparing.

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William Teach
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Better yet, don't do stupid things which end with your car underwater.

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KatHat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OF COURSE avoiding the problem is the best solution. This list is for if your precautions didn't work. And people can end up going into water when they weren't doing "stupid things". Victim blaming shows up everywhere, don't it?

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Aeon Flux
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can get a keychain/tool with a dull but pointed edge to smash the car window open as well.

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Sergio Bicerra
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The head rest of the front seats have metal on the base and can be used to try and break the windows.

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Jackie Porter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mythbusters proved this and it eventually saved the life of a viewer who ended up in this situation and remembered the episode.

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Elisabeth Chai
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Learned this as a child. Pet peeve that they NEVER do this in movies. Glad they still teach it in some places.

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Susan Bosse
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If your car does get filled with water, remove a headrest and use the metal rods to break the window. They're made to break glass.

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Prilsy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think you have to try to get out through the window, not the door. If you open the door it will make the car sink right away. At least that is what I was taught since childhood.

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Emmy the short one
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the adjustable that headrests come out of your seat have somewhat pointy ends and are able to break the windows if necessary. This works, I know from experience.

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Linda H
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I drive by water, which is everyday because there are lots of lakes by me, I always roll my window down. Winter or summer. Cuz ya never know.

master_minds9 avatar
denzoren
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep, you'll have to wait until you get to the river bed for the pressure to normalize. Open the door and get out as it hits the water if possible. You can't save it at that point.

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Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not necessarily on the river bed, some rivers are deep enough that the car is fully flooded before it hits the bottom.

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#7

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If you ever get caught in a rip current swim sideways, a rip current is a strong flow of water that moves directly away from the shore. And if you get caught in one and you try and swim straight in, it's just going to keep pushing you back and you're going to lose energy. So you need to swim sideways until you're out of it and then you can swim in.

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William Teach
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And I read forward and see the riptide thing. Still, learn what they look like from the shore. Easy to see from above.

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#8

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If you ever get lost or in an emergency situation, you have your cell phone, but you have no service. You can still call 911. Emergency calls will go through any connection, whether it's your carrier or not. And the same thing goes for any payphones. You don't have to pay. It's free to make a call to 911.

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Robert T
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

True only if there is at least one network with some signal. If you really are out in the wilds, with zero signal on any network, it is not going to work. Your phone should tell you whether you can do this - mine says "Emergency Calls Only".

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#9

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If someone falls in cold water and is close to hypothermia, don't put them next to a fire. They need to be warmed up slowly. Otherwise it could be potentially fatal and they could experience something called afterdrop. And this is due to the fact that your blood flow cannot adapt quick enough to that change from extreme cold to extreme hot.

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sofacushionfort
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also, keep them in a lying position. Sitting puts too much stress on the heart (unfortunately, this tidbit was discovered by Nazi experiments that killed the test subjects)

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#10

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

Before natural disasters make sure to fill your tub up and your sink with water that is clean. According to the FDA, after major disasters, water's either cut off or heavily contaminated. So it's important to make sure you have enough supply of clean water.

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Linus Nilsson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It would be better to fill up containers rather than to have the water in contact with the air. Algae starts growing immediately in water, but the more you can slow it down enough so that it won't be dangerous to drink for several days.

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#11

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

If you're somewhere and you don't have the right size battery, you can use a smaller battery and put aluminum foil in that extra space and it will still work. The aluminum foil will transfer the electricity and get the job done.

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Hans
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one is too short. You need the right voltage. AA and AAA are both 1,5V per cell, so it works, but this is no universal truth.

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#12

Facts-That-Could-Save-Your-Life

When you walk back to your car and you see something like a dollar bill or something on it, don't touch it. This is a common method for kidnapping where while you're going to grab that, they'll come up and grab you. So do not grab it, just drive. And the most common with this is T-shirts around a mirror or a dollar bill.

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Dave In MD
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Urban legend. If someone is going to "grab you" that extra 2 seconds you take to grab something under a wiper or around a mirror is not going to make a difference.

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