I read an unnerving report about what students are taught about what to do when an earthquake strikes. The are taught to duck under their desks to protect them. However, the guy who wrote this article, who helps dig out people that are trapped in collapsed buildings, says that's the worst thing you can do as the building crushes the desk and the body under it.
He says you have a better chance of survival if you lay next to the desk or some large furniture, as this is an area of safety. He made a movie on his findings and it has been shown on PBS stations.