Leave the coast with a reason
Fresh spawns fight over police stations. Inland military is richer and deadlier. Eat, drink, and find a melee weapon before you sprint at a heli crash.
Check this resource when you learn a new map’s military cluster.
Illness, stamina, and noise
Wet clothes, bad food, and long sprints stack. A cough in a town is a beacon. Dry off. Cook. Walk when you can.
Use additional game information for extra survival-stat notes if you still die to sickness more than bullets.