Human escape follows a structured movement pattern shaped by threat and context

Evading danger is critical to survival. In non-human animals, escape strategies are shaped by neural, biomechanical, and ecological constraints, resulting in species-specific patterns. In humans, ethical and practical constraints have until recently hindered investigation of escape movements, such that its organising principles are commonly extrapolated from other, mostly quadruped, species. Here, we use wireless virtual reality (W-VR) in a large physical space to present biologically relevant threats. We discover that human escape behaviour is organized within a constrained action space shaped by threat and context, revealing a small set of previously undescribed, stereotyped kinematic patterns that are not predicted from those reported in other mammals. Pattern selection is shaped by environment and individual preference, and is not predicted by behaviour in safe conditions. The dominant kinematic pattern includes head orientation toward the threat, body rotation until facing away, and escape with the ipsilateral foot first. Alternative variants include turning away from the threat, backward movement, and misdirected flight. Certain escape patterns and kinematic features reduce success, whereas specific preparatory adjustments enhance it. Our results demonstrate that human escape patterns cannot be extrapolated from other mammals, provide a foundation for probing the neural mechanisms of escape, and enable investigation of potential disruptions in clinical conditions.