There’s a moment just before takeoff when even the most seasoned travelers feel a twinge of anticipation. The engines spool up, the aircraft shudders slightly, and in mere seconds, you’re hurtling down the runway at hundreds of miles an hour, defying gravity itself. It’s exhilarating, and for some, just a little nerve-wracking.
I get it. Flying can feel unnatural. You’re suspended 35,000 feet above the earth in a pressurized metal tube, cruising at over 500 miles per hour. But here’s the truth: flying is one of the safest things you can do. It’s even safer than walking across a city street.
If that seems hard to believe, you’re not alone. But keep reading – you might be in for a surprise!
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Let’s break it down. Since 2010, U.S. airlines have operated over 140 million flights. In that same period, the total number of fatalities from U.S. commercial airline accidents? 69. Prior to the incredibly unfortunate regional jet crash at DCA in January, the number of fatalities in 15 years was just 2. Total.
Compare that to walking: between 2010 and 2024, over 80,000 pedestrians lost their lives in pedestrian accidents across the U.S. As safe as walking may seem, crossing a street or strolling down the sidewalk is actually thousands of times riskier than sitting in a pressurized cabin sipping your ginger ale. And this doesn’t even count for injuries.
Just wait until you see the numbers for driving. They’re mind-boggling.
Flying vs Driving: The Shocking Reality of Risk
I’ve always told my friends and family that my drive to the airport is by far, the most dangerous part of my job. That statement unfortunately reared its ugly head when I got into what should have easily been a fatal head-on accident on my way to Philadelphia for a Christmas work assignment in 2016. An opposing car veered into my lane around a blind corner in an attempt to overtake traffic unnecessarily, and we were both airlifted to the shock-trauma center. Miraculously, I only had minor injuries (if you consider a broken vertebrae and leg, many cuts, and broken ribs “minor”). My car was completely crushed, and I was actually bummed I didn’t have to work Christmas that year.
Knowing that driving was far more dangerous than flying, way more dangerous than most people realize, and my desire to share that reality with those hesitant about flying made even more vivid after my accident, I decided to do some research. What I found was absolutely shocking.
To put things in perspective, let’s compare how many people passed away per billion passenger-miles traveled and deaths per 1000,000 people per year (2010-2025, including the latest accident) flying vs driving:
| Commercial Flying (US Airlines) | Driving in the US | Driving vs Flying | Flying vs Driving | |
| Deaths per billion miles traveled | 0.002 deaths | 13.5 deaths | 675,000% higher risk driving | Flying presents 0.015% the risk |
| Deaths per 100,000 people per year | 0.0005 deaths | 12.89 deaths | 2,578,000% higher risk driving | Flying presents 0.004% the risk |
Most of us don’t think twice before hopping into an Uber or merging onto the freeway. But I frequently see people praying as soon as they sit onboard an airplane. If we took driving as seriously as we take aviation safety, we’d reduce driving-related deaths by over 40,000. In the period from 2010 to 2025, over 500,000 people have been killed driving in the US (IIHS). Yet, nobody bats an eye. I have yet to see anyone pray for their safety getting into a car. Have you?
Why Flying is So Safe
So why is flying so insanely safe? Three key reasons:
1. Unparalleled Training & Regulation
Pilots don’t just hop in and “figure it out.” Commercial airline pilots undergo thousands of hours of training, simulator checks, and rigorous testing before they even touch the controls of a passenger jet. On top of that, the FAA, ICAO, and NTSB enforce some of the strictest aviation safety regulations in the world.
2. Advanced Technology & Engineering
Modern airliners are technological marvels. They’re built to withstand extreme conditions, and they undergo constant maintenance and safety checks. Advanced systems like autopilot, terrain avoidance, and redundant controls make flying incredibly reliable. Nothing is overlooked.
3. A Controlled Environment
Unlike roads, where distracted drivers, reckless pedestrians, and unpredictable hazards make accidents inevitable, air travel is highly controlled. Pilots follow structured flight paths, air traffic control monitors every movement, and mid-air collisions are nearly impossible thanks to sophisticated avoidance systems.
4. Safety Culture
I’ve never seen or experienced the level of professionalism, dedication, and risk mitigation we enjoy in the aviation industry. Across the world (but especially in the United States), our shared goal is to enhance our system systems above all. We are not punished for coming forward with concerns, sharing our mistakes, or asking for extra training. This open-door, blameless system creates an atmosphere where we can all continuously strive to improve the system without worrying about personal repercussions. This culture is the lynchpin of aviation safety (but it’s under threat by the current DOT Administration).
The Paradox of Perception: Why does flying seem so risky?
If flying is so safe, why does it feel risky? It comes down to psychology. Plane crashes, while rare, are highly publicized. When one happens, it dominates the news cycle for days, making it feel common. But pedestrian and car accidents? They happen so frequently that they barely make headlines. Our brains trick us into thinking flying is dangerous when, statistically, it’s the opposite.
Imagine if every car accident was publicized. You wouldn’t have time in the day to even read the headlines.
Injury Risk While Flying: How likely are you to get injured flying commercially?
I would be remiss if I failed to bring up the risk of injury while flying. Passenger injuries do occur on flights, most notably due to turbulence. However, the risk of injury is likely much lower than you think.
Did you know that from 2002 to 2022, there were 689 serious injuries aboard US commercial airlines, an average of 33 per year? In that same time, more than 48 million people were injured on the road. That’s nearly 1,500,000 times more people!
Of course, our impression of turbulence-related injuries is massively amplified by the news and social media because each and every incident is posted and shared online. In reality, injuries onboard a commercial airplane are incredibly rare – 1.5 million times less frequent than while driving. Fascinating.
Is Flying on International Airlines More Dangerous?
Enough talk about how safe it is to fly on US Airlines. Is flying on international airlines more dangerous than on US Air Carriers? Generally, yes. There are many more accidents and incidents occurring around the world than in the US.
However, even if the risk is 10 or 100 times higher than in the US, it still statistically remains thousands of times safer than driving or even walking in a city. And generally speaking, in countries where flying presents slightly higher risk than in the US, driving presents far greater risk. There’s still simply no comparison.
Full Disclosure: There are some airlines that I prefer to avoid. PIA, for example, has been in the news a few times for highly-preventable fatal accidents. That being said, while traveling across Pakistan (despite being hyper-aware of a few recent crashes), I still elected to fly on PIA rather than drive. Although PIA presents one of the highest airline accident rates in the world, flying was still thousands of times safer than driving – even before considering how crazy the mountain roads are in Pakistan!
Answer: Although flying on international airlines can be more dangerous than US air carriers, it’s still significantly safer than any other mode of transport.
Final Thoughts: Embrace the Sky
The next time you find yourself gripping the armrest at takeoff, remember this: flying is one of the safest things you’ll do all day. Safer than your drive to the airport. Safer than crossing the street outside your hotel. And yes, safer than walking through your own neighborhood.
So instead settling in your seat filled with anxiety and worry, take a deep breath and remember that you’re in good hands. I can promise you that.
If you are ever feeling worried or queasy about a flight you’re about to embark on, don’t hesitate to reach out for some reassurance!
References & My Math
In case you wanted to verify my math (please do!), here are the numbers I sourced and used:
- Fatalities (US Airlines, 2010-2025): 69
- Flight Departures 2010-2024: 144.9 million (Source: BTS.gov)
- Average Departures Per Year: 9.66 million (Source: BTS.gov)
- Rough Average Flight Stage Length: 2,500 miles
- Average Number of Annual Passengers: 840 million (Source: BTS.gov)
- Average Total Passenger-Miles Per Year: 2.1 trillion
- Total Number of Passenger-Miles 2010-2024: ~31.5 trillion
Fatalities per billion passenger miles: 0.0021
Fatalities per hundred thousand flights: 0.047
Fatalities per hundred thousand pax/year: 0.00055
These numbers are inordinately low. They’re pretty much below baseline, especially considering it’s more dangerous to walk in a city.
- Pedestrian Deaths Per Year (2010-2024): ~6000 (Source: IIHS)
Fatalities per hundred thousand Americans/year (assuming ALL are pedestrians): 1.81
Assuming that every single American is a pedestrian, roughly 1.81 per 100,000 die each year. Being a pedestrian in the USA creates over 3,200 times average yearly higher risk than flying! One can only imagine how much higher the real number is, considering how few Americans actually walk outside.
- Driving Fatalities US (2022): 42,795 fatalities (Source: NHTSA)
- Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) (2022): Approximately 3.18 trillion miles.
Fatalities per Billion Vehicle-Miles: 42,795 ÷ 3,180 = 13.5 deaths per billion vehicle-miles
Unfortunately, driving fatalities have been increasing since 2010, in spite of safer cars and best safety devices. Drivers are more distracted than ever and the safety culture for driving in the US is almost nonexistent.
