Is Flying Safer than Driving?
There are no forms of transportation that are 100% safe. No matter how you choose to get from point A to point B, there will always be a risk of suffering an injury or perishing in the accident.
However, some forms of transportation are safer than others. Take two of the most popular forms of travel in the United States: flying and driving. Both can lead to accidents, but which is the more dangerous of the two?
Flying Safety By the Numbers
The statistics released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) clearly demonstrate that flying is safer than driving overall. However, it is important to put the numbers in context to understand the nuances.
Commercial Air Carrier Safety
According to the NTSB, there have never been more than 89 deaths annually from crashes of U.S. commercial air carriers, except in 2001 during the 911 attacks.
In fact, in most of these years, zero plane crashes were registered. With nearly 700 million passengers in 2021 (down from over 900 million pre-pandemic), the chances of dying in a crash on a U.S. air carrier are practically incalculably small.
Non-Commercial-Carrier Airplane Crashes
However, this reassuring statistic only captures the safety record of commercial air carriers, such as Delta, United, and Alaska Airlines. Not painted in this picture are the safety records of charter services, on-demand air services, and private individuals, all of which have higher accident rates than U.S. carriers.
In 2021, there were zero fatalities on U.S. commercial air carriers. However, that same year, there were hundreds of fatalities on other airplanes, such as the deadly private plane accident near Herlong Recreational Airport in Jacksonville that killed two people.
This disparity demonstrates that commercial carriers are safer than their non-commercial-carrier counterparts.
A reason for this big difference in fatalities has much to do with regulations in the airline industry. Commercial air carrier standards are much higher than those for any other category of airplane, meaning the pilots and crew are better trained and the airplanes are better maintained with more stringent and frequent inspections.
As such, if you want to experience the safest type of air travel possible, you should choose a commercial air carrier.
So how do these airline fatality statistics stack up to the ones from the road?
Driving Safety by the Numbers
In 2020, 38,824 individuals lost their lives on America’s roadways. At first glance and after further investigation, you naturally come to the conclusion that driving is more dangerous than flying, whether with a commercial carrier or another type of air service.
According to the numbers, commercial carrier airline passengers had a zero percent chance of dying in the U.S. in 2021, and there were far less than 1,000 deaths on other airlines. However, nearly 40,000 people died in traffic during the same time.
Even accounting for the difference in the number who fly versus drive annually, the danger is much higher on the roadways than in the air. However, there is at least one instance when flying is more dangerous than driving every time: during a crash.
If you are in an airplane crash, your chances of dying are far higher than if you were in a car accident. Although your chances of getting in an airplane accident in the first place are infinitesimally small, once you are in one, the chances of dying exceed those of dying in a car wreck.
Whether you or a loved one are involved in a plane or car crash, you have the right to pursue a claim for compensation if you have suffered damages.
You deserve to be compensated when your injuries are caused by someone else or if your loved one has been killed. Our car accident attorneys can help you fight for what you are owed so that you can start to recover from the damage you have suffered.
Contact the Jacksonville Car Accident Law Firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Today For Help
For more information, please contact the Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra car accident law firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We serve in Duval County, St, Johns County, and its surrounding areas:
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville
9471 Baymeadows Rd #105,
Jacksonville, FL 32256, United States
(904) 396-1100
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Downtown Jacksonville
121 W. Forsyth St. #170
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 822-4225
Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers – Ponte Vedra
480 Town Plaza Ave #130,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32081
(904) 675-1167