The Statistics Of Death Through Flying Versus Driving.
Intro
Social media has come to ruin just about everything, as much as I love a good scroll. There are constant videos being posted about accidents on planes, ranging from the Voepass ATR 72 to the cabin door flying out of Alaska Airlines to the Japan Airlines A359 that crashed.
Personally, I can say that it makes me feel about 1% uneasy now when I fly lesser-known carriers. However, I am here to tell you that your chances of dying in a car crash are astronomically higher than in a plane.
Let's get into it!
The Statistics
Statistics from around the internet have indicated that:
Your chances of dying in a car crash are estimated at about 1 in 5 thousand. A truly gobsmacking number.
Your chances of dying in a plane crash are estimated at 1 in 7.9 million. You can do the math, but you don't have to, to know that it's a lot more dangerous to drive.
You are more likely to die from a firework, lightning, a bath, a bed, or even food poisoning than on a plane.
Now, this isn't to say that you don't have the right to be worried during a flight or that your worries are unwanted. I get it, 100%. If you don't fly a lot, certain instances could be worrisome, such as extreme turbulence or even the aircraft slowing down😂.
One moment comes to mind when I got worried. I was flying out of Hong Kong, and we decided to level out at 5,000 feet. I thought something was wrong with the aircraft, but it turns out there was just traffic in the area.
An Uber driver the other day mentioned that she was going to be flying soon over to Hawaii and was scared; these were the tips I gave her.
Get a window seat so you feel more in control, or at least you are able to know what is going on.
If you are a very anxious flyer, let the cabin crew know when boarding and most of them will try to check in on you extra.
Have something that will soothe your mind, whether it be a nice cup of tea, a comfort snack, or a warm blanket. Disengage the amygdala (fight or flight response).
Breathe. As someone who studies psychology (okay, the keyword is studying), read up on 4 square breathing (some people call it box breathing).
Final Thoughts
I get it; flying can be really scary for some people, and once was for me. Hopefully, by informing you of these statistics as well as some pointers, it might put your mind at ease just a touch.
At the end of the day, though, don't beat yourself up over it. We are all humans and scared of stuff. Put me in front of a snake, and I'll have a heart attack😂.
Comments