Have you ever felt uncomfortable when being asked to straighten the seat during takeoff or landing by flight attendants while taking a nap, or passionately reading an article on Look magazine?

Don’t mind, they don’t mean to ruin your sleep or comfort. It’s all for your safety.

A research has shown that 58% of dangerous accidents happen during takeoff or landing. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), this regulation is implemented in order to reduce injuries and make evacuation easier in emergency situations.

If the plane shakes during takeoff or landing, sitting up straight reduces the risk of your head colliding the front seat-back, which is also true for the rear sitting passenger. In addition, when the cabin crew is aware of the risk of a collision, they will ask passengers to prepare their head-down position. According to the British Civil Aviation Authority, passengers can only do this position while sitting upright.

Moreover, straightening the seat will enable faster evacuation, avoiding potential obstacles in emergency situations. That is why FAA has made this requirement mandatory.