complexitystudies

metaphysics, philosophy, and a vision of the future

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On the safety of flying

July 21st, 2007 · No Comments ·

The post linked to below is actually about the safety of space shuttles, but I find another conclusion more interesting.

In the news you often hear that flying is safer than all other forms of travel, and this is true on a per kilometer basis. But not on a per hour basis (passenger hours vs. passenger kilometers) where air travel is indeed slightly more dangerous. (The discrepancy results from planes travelling more kilometers per hour than a car, of course.)

Want to get from point A to point B in one piece? Don’t take the shuttle.: Sciam Observations

So - getting from point A to B is safer by plane than by car - because the distance is fixed. But if you’re given the option between spending 8 hours in a plane or 8 hours in a car, the latter is safer.

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