Which is Safer: Air Travel or Car Travel?
Sun Media
With all the tragic plane crashes dominating the headlines, we are all left wondering if it is safe to travel by air. The short answer is, of course. It is still safer to travel by airplane than by cars.
The World Health Organization estimated in 2013 that 1.24 million people died in car accidents worldwide. Most of these involved pedestrians, cyclists or motorcycles/mopeds. Transport Canada estimated that, in 2010, 60 people died in the air while 2,186 died on the roads. Railway accidents produced higher fatalities than planes at 81 deaths that year.
The good news for Canadians is that due to infrastructure and planning, First World countries are less likely to suffer fatalities than Third World countries that are plagued with poor structures and treacherous roadways. The bad news is when travelling you must be aware of these conditions and be extra safe. I remember going to Europe and being told to stay away from the mopeds because of all the accidents that occur.
The problem is death and injury happen every day. Some we cannot prevent, some we can. The sensational news stories do not change the statistics. The false sense of control we have when we drive our own car is simply that – false. If someone chooses to drink and drive and hits you head on, there is little you can do to prevent that.
Try to not let the sensational headlines deter your travel plans.