The most dangerous thing you can do on a plane is not wear a seatbelt. Picture: iStock

In their minds, they see flaming wreckage broadcast on the news with a sombre news anchor declaring that there were no survivors.

But most of the passengers who fear the plane potentially falling out of the sky tend to overlook a way more real scenario, and it’s so frustratingly avoidable — and that is turbulence-related injuries.

Statistics aren’t the easiest to come by, since the injuries aren’t always reported, and even when they are, the criteria for what makes an injury count as being turbulence-related is very stringent.

People on an Avianca flight needed medical attention after their flight encountered severe turbulence.Source:australscope

But most flight attendants would be able to recount personal tales or tales of colleagues who’ve sustained serious injuries from clear air turbulence.

It’s a real threat, and the evidence showing the importance of seatbelt use is there.

Last week, an Air Canada flight from Shanghai to Toronto experienced an emergency landing in Calgary due to severe turbulence.

Pilots were warned of impending rough air by Air Traffic Control, and advised passengers and crew to buckle up.

Of the 21 passengers injured (one seriously), most of these admitted to being aware of the seatbelt sign and ignoring it.

10 people were admitted to hospital after the flight.Source:australscope

The galley was a mess following the wild ride.Source:australscope

Last year also saw several turbulence events as well. A JetBlue flight from Boston to Sacramento, California saw 22 passengers injured while flying through storms around Rapid City, South Dakota, and a China Eastern flight bound for Sydney from Kunming, China, saw several hospitalisations for injuries sustained mainly by passengers not belted in.

I could bore you with many similar stories, but you get the point.

It’s really boring to hear, and even more boring for us to repeat several times a flight.

But of all the rules we enforce on the plane, that’s the one to take the most seriously.

We prepare for so many potential scenarios, but turbulence happens often and it doesn’t take much to cause injuries.

I get it when people come bouncing down the aisles for the bathrooms when they just can’t wait anymore — although we don’t advise it — because that’s a natural physical need.

If you encounter turbulence, put your seatbelt on straight away and stay put.Source:ThinkStock

But it’s not uncommon to be going through fairly strong turbulence just to have a passenger or two struggle to the galley just to ask for a drink (and it’s always coffee, which is especially unreasonable since someone has to pour it, and it’s as fun for us as you could imagine).

There’s no excuse for behaviour like this, and seatbelts are not so uncomfortable that you can’t keep one loosely on.

Air pockets can sweep you right off of your feet and can occur without warning.

So leave your seat belt on while at your seat. Really.

It’s a heck of a lot more comfortable than a dislocated shoulder.

Amanda Pleva is a flight attendant with 14 years of experience, she tweets @skygarbageman. This article originally appeared onFlyer Talk and was republished with permission.