Rescue is your 2nd priority in a survival situation. Rescue services will start looking for you as soon as they know you are missing and you might only get one chance so don’t miss it.
Putting yourself in the shoes of the rescuers ask yourself, What direction would they be coming from? How will they spot me? Make yourself safe and visible, stay with your vehicle or wreckage only if it is safe to do so. Many people needlessly die after heading off into the unknown only for their bodies to be found within 5 miles of where they set off from.
Use whatever method of signalling you can to attract attention, lay out stones or any objects to create an SOS close to the location. Keep light or pyrotechnics close to hand so they are ready to use at a moments notice. You can reflect sunlight using any shiny surfaces, sweep the horizon if no one is in sight as this can be seen for many miles and signal them direct when they are in view.
You can also alert rescuers to your position using a signal fire that is producing lots of smoke. These need to be kept dry so they are easy to ignite, keep it covered until its ready to use and have a supply of smoke producing materials near by. This can include damp wood, green wood and leaves. If you have wreckage available you can use oil, diesel or tires to create a thick black smoke.
Should you make the decision to move either because your location as become unsafe or you know that no rescuers are looking for you, it is important that you are able to know how to determine the cardinal directions.
Two methods you could learn to use are the shadow stick and wristwatch methods, these are shown and demonstrated in many survival guides and YouTube videos.
