I agree with Tyber. The first thing that popped into my head as to remedy was death. We can tend to be Lemmings sometimes, but eventually the crowd gets wise to the notion that those who walk toward the big dark hole don't come back and are never heard from again.

Batteries, dynamos and solar cells are a convenient alternative, but I also agree that it is unwise to rely on anything that requires electricity to run. For that reason I have resisted buying any of the LCD type compasses, and keep at least three light sources with me at all times.

The more you know of how to utilize items commonly found to accomplish the necessary tasks that get you by, the better your chances. Of course, it is still handy to be lucky, but not something you should ever plan for.

At the risk of going political yet again, SAR services get abused far too much. Considering it was all but non-existent a hundred years ago, I believe too many people nowadays either simply don't have a friggin' clue what they are getting themselves into, or consider SAR a safety net and don't prepare adequately for the risks.