Many people will express a fear of flying. They’ll get very nervous if they have to go on a plane. Some of them may refuse to fly entirely.
Most of these same people will get in the car and drive without a second thought. But it’s been proven time and time again that flying is vastly safer than driving. This is especially true in large commercial airliners, which almost never go down in the United States.
However, around 35-40,000 people die in car accidents every single year. If that many people were dying in plane crashes, it would take hundreds of crashes a year to accomplish it, and people would probably stop flying completely. But it doesn’t happen since airline travel is so safe. So why do people look at these two modes of transportation in such opposite ways when considering their safety?
The illusion of control
A lot of it really just comes down to the illusion of being in control. When you’re on a plane, you’re very conscious of the fact that you have no control over what happens or whether or not you arrive safely. You’re simply hoping that the pilot does their job correctly.
When you’re in a car, however, you feel like you are in control of your own safety. You are not because other drivers can make mistakes that cause fatal accidents, and they do it thousands of times per week. But you feel like you’re in control, and that’s why people feel safer, despite being in a far more dangerous position.
If you have lost a loved one in a car accident, it is important to take the time to consider your legal options to seek financial compensation.