Relative safety of planes, trains and automobiles

[Burns651]

Trains are still the safest way to travel.

Trains are much safer than cars, but planes are safer yet. 2 onboard fatalities on US regular schedule passenger airlines between 2010 and 2020. 6 to 7 billion passenger miles each year with Amtrak, but several hundred billion on the airlines.

 

[cirdan]

Trains are much safer than cars, but planes are safer yet. 2 onboard fatalities on US regular schedule passenger airlines between 2010 and 2020. 6 to 7 billion passenger miles each year with Amtrak, but several hundred billion on the airlines.

It's not a fair comparison to filter down to onboard fatalities only for commercial flights only and then compare that with all fatalities for rail.

An anecdote does not make a statistic of course, but in all my years of rail travelling I have only learnt of deaths or serious injuries through the media, and never because I was on said train myself. But I have twice been on flights seriously delayed by incidents involving injuries to airport ground staff.

 

[Tlcooper44]

It's not a fair comparison to filter down to onboard fatalities only for commercial flights only and then compare that with all fatalities for rail.

An anecdote does not make a statistic of course, but in all my years of rail travelling I have only learnt of deaths or serious injuries through the media, and never because I was on said train myself. But I have twice been on flights seriously delayed by incidents involving injuries to airport ground staff.

Actually, since we are only comparing the risks of revenue service customers of rail to revenue service customers of airlines, your addendum isn’t relevant.

My original post was merely stating that Amtrak travel in the last 10 years is less safe for customers than major US airlines based on the numbers alone.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Actually, since we are only comparing the risks of revenue service customers of rail to revenue service customers of airlines, your addendum isn’t relevant.

My original post was merely stating that Amtrak travel in the last 10 years is less safe for customers than major US airlines based on the numbers alone.

Correct. Airline travel is the safest form of travel, followed by bus, and then rail. They are all 3 much safer than personal automobiles.

 

[Just Joe]

It's not a fair comparison to filter down to onboard fatalities only for commercial flights only and then compare that with all fatalities for rail.

An anecdote does not make a statistic of course, but in all my years of rail travelling I have only learnt of deaths or serious injuries through the media, and never because I was on said train myself. But I have twice been on flights seriously delayed by incidents involving injuries to airport ground staff.

I at first questioned/doubted the air travel statistic (2 onboard fatalities 2010-2020), but when I researched on airlines.org (link below), I did indeed find there were only 2 reported fatal airline accidents 2010-2020. NOTE I said fatal accidents, not fatalities. I don't know how many people died in those two accidents. Anyway, only 2 fatal accidents in 10 years is absolutely impressive. Just wanted to point out accidents vs fatalities. Here is my source: Safety Record of U.S. Air Carriers | Airlines For America

 

[Trogdor]

…I did indeed find there were only 2 reported fatal airline accidents 2010-2020. NOTE I said fatal accidents, not fatalities. I don't know how many people died in those two accidents. … Safety Record of U.S. Air Carriers | Airlines For America

That very same link has total fatalities on the same table, just to the right of the number of fatal accidents. Each of those accidents only claimed 1 life (so, 2 total fatalities).

 

[jiml]

Correct. Airline travel is the safest form of travel, followed by bus, and then rail. They are all 3 much safer than personal automobiles.

You're right, but if a tragic event occurs the number of fatalities usually reverses that order.

 

[Joe from PA]

I'm 80. I don't care.