Whenever the plane is about to take off or land, the gentle reminder from the flight attendant rings in your ears: "Please open the window shades, stow your tray tables, and adjust your seatbacks upright." This isn't for ceremonial purposes; it's to help save lives during critical moments.

You might wonder, isn't the plane supposed to be more dangerous at high altitudes? Why, then these requirements during phases closer to the ground? However, Boeing's data contradicts our intuition.

Despite takeoff and landing accounting for only a tiny portion of the flight, they concentrate around 60% of fatal accidents, with nearly 50% occurring during landing. The reason lies precisely in the proximity to the ground during takeoff or landing. In an emergency, pilots have only about 90 seconds to react.

In contrast, at higher altitudes, the plane is in stable flight, and even in the event of engine failure, it can glide for approximately 8 minutes, giving pilots relatively ample time to assess safe landing options.

In the race against death, we must make accurate judgments in split seconds. Opening the window shades in advance allows passengers to see outside the cabin promptly and prepare accordingly. Rescue personnel outside the aircraft also need to assess the conditions inside the cabin through the windows to take appropriate action.

If the cabin lighting fails, external light can assist in illuminating the cabin, allowing passengers to see escape routes clearly and adapt better to changes in external light when exiting the aircraft. Stowing tray tables and adjusting seatbacks upright also serve safety purposes.

To mitigate the impact, passengers must lean forward into a protective posture, which becomes problematic if tray tables are in the way or seats are too far. Moreover, during evacuation, they can become obstacles.

Although the probability of a plane crash is one in tens of millions, it's prudent to prepare as if our lives depend on it millions of times. The next time you hear the reminder, hope everyone realizes it's a simple task for the safety of themselves and others, and cooperation is essential.

In addition to paying attention to this point, the following safety precautions should also not be overlooked:

1. Patients with severe asthma, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, acute pulmonary edema, cerebral infarction, cerebral arteriosclerosis, etc., are not suitable for air travel. In addition, for pregnant women approaching the due date, traveling may lead to premature birth, and giving birth during a flight is risky. Therefore, pregnant women beyond eight months should not fly. For more detailed information, consult relevant aviation regulations.

2. According to regulations, seat belts must be fastened throughout the entire flight, especially during takeoff until the aircraft is in stable flight and from the beginning of descent until it finishes taxiing on the runway; smoking is strictly prohibited on the plane, as it not only pollutes the air but, more importantly, can cause fires and lead to significant accidents.

3. The toilets on the plane are available for passengers to use freely, but they cannot be used during takeoff, landing, and encountering strong air currents, so try to drink less water and use the restroom less in adverse weather conditions.

4. If the plane encounters high altitude accidents, fasten seat belts first. Also, adopt an effective anti-impact posture during turbulence: grasp the front seat, bend over, and arch the body to reduce impact. During an emergency evacuation, follow the flight attendant's instructions and adopt the correct slide-jump posture: extend both hands and feet forward, with toes pointing upward. During the evacuation process, move quickly and avoid carrying luggage.