Air travel is one of the safest modes of transportation. However, it is not without its risks. There are several ways passengers can be hurt or injured during their travels on an airplane. Some injuries result from a lack of safety precautions, while others are unavoidable accidents that happen despite every precaution taken by airlines and their employees. Here are five common causes of injuries during an airline flight.
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1. Seatbelts
Seatbelts are the most common cause of airline injuries because they are designed to be used as a restraint system. This means they are intended to keep passengers buckled in their seats when the plane undergoes turbulence or has to make a rough landing, for example. In the event of an emergency, these belts should be used for their intended purpose.
If someone is not in their seatbelt while flying, they could be injured by falling out of their chair if there is an impact or turbulence during the flight. This could lead to further injury. Furthermore, if the seatbelts do not work or are faulty for any reason, it is negligence on the part of the airline and could result in a lawsuit.
There are many aviation attorneys who specializein airplane accidents in order to support victims of negligence. You can click here to learn more about aviation accident attorneys and how they work to help.
2. Headrests
Headrests could injure passengers if they’re not properly cushioned, and they can cause injury to a passenger’s neck if they move around while sleeping or sitting in their seat.
The primary reason that headrests might be dangerous is that they offer no cushioning for the head and neck. If a person were to lean back against a headrest without any padding, there would be a lot of pressure on their spine and neck. This could lead to serious injuries like whiplash, which can result in damage to nerves or muscles in the back of the neck.
3. Being unseated
It’s normal to get up and move around on a flight. Many passengers get up to stretch their legs and go to the bathroom. However, walking around the plane during turbulenceis a cause for concern. Passengers can fall and be thrown around during turbulence, injuring not only themselves but potentiallyother passengers as well if they happen to fall onto someone else.
That’s why remaining seated with a seatbelt fastened is crucial when turbulence is occurring, as well as when the seatbelt sign is switched on – even if there seems to be no apparent reason for the sign being switched on.
4. Luggage in overhead bins
Luggage in overhead bins is the most common cause of airline injuries, according to a recent study. The study found that luggage falling from overhead bins causes an estimated 4,500 injuries per year. It’s a disturbing trend; airlines are adding more and more overhead bin space, which means more people are putting their bags up there.The most common injuries were fractures, contusions, and concussions.
5. Food and Beverages
Food and beverages can be very hot, making them difficult to hold. They are also prone to spilling, which can cause injury like scalding if you’re not careful about how you hold them or if turbulence causes a hot drink to fall over and spill.
