Which Is Safer: Driving or Flying?

For years, the relative safety of flying has been a subject of debate. On the one hand, many claim that driving is the safest way to get to a destination, while others still assert the claim that flying is much safer. Your local transportation service in Tacoma, WA is here to help settle the debate, and take a look at research compiled by both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to determine just which is safer, flying or driving.

Digesting the numbers

Data compiled by the NHTSA showed that in 2015, motor vehicle accidents resulted in 35,092 fatalities. This calculates to 1.13 fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Alternatively, the numbers released by the NTSB in the same year showed that there were only 27 commercial airplane accidents total, without any fatalities, which equates to only .00035 accidents for every 100 million miles flown. Overall, the odds of dying in a car crash—or even being involved in an auto accident—are much higher.

Where does the fear of flying come from?

Since the statistics year after year have shown that flying is overwhelmingly safer than driving, why are so many people still afraid to fly? One main reason is that because so many car crashes happen on a daily basis, these accidents don’t receive nearly as much attention or media coverage as plane crashes do. Catastrophic airplane accidents are so uncommon that when they do occur, they can create an immense amount of fear because they usually result in a large number of fatalities at one time, and as a result will receive a disproportionate amount of coverage that can heighten sensitivity and scare many people away.

Additionally, many people feel safer in cars because, as the driver, they are in complete control. As a passenger of a flight you have very little control over what happens, and the limited view or understanding of what is going on in either the front or back of the plane doesn’t do much to assuage fears either.

All in all, the numbers show that flying is safer than driving, but both can be safe and reliable methods of transportation when all of the traffic and aviation laws are obeyed and routine maintenance and safety checks are carried out on your vehicle or airplane.

While the anxiety that comes along with flying might not ever go away for some people, if you are ready to travel to new places and explore the country, let the highly-trained and skilled fleet of drivers at Around the Sound TransPro help quiet your nerves with a calm, relaxing ride to the airport. The peace of mind that comes from knowing that your transportation to and from the airport is one less thing to worry about is invaluable. We hope you’ll give us a call any time you need transportation service in Tacoma, WA, and we look forward to helping you get to your destination safely, efficiently and comfortably!

Categorised in: Transportation Service

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