The Safest and Most Dangerous Forms of Transportation
Whether purchasing a car or looking for a locomotive ticket to move from point A to point B, safety is one of the main concerns people express. In the modern age, one can choose numerous means of transport for mobility. Their choice would, of course, consider costs, convenience, and safety. While costs and convenience are crucial, safety is a more critical consideration, especially with the current statistics of accidents leading to injuries and deaths.
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reported that in 2022, there were 42,000 fatalities from road-related accidents. This number represented a drop of 3.6% compared to the number of car accident casualties reported in the subsequent year. To avoid being part of current accident statistics, consider using the least dangerous transportation methods for your mobility needs.
The Most Dangerous Forms of Transportation
Cars
Although cars are the most used means of transportation, they are part of today's most dangerous transportation methods. Car accidents are common on most roads because reckless drivers disregard traffic rules and regulations. The number of car accident deaths is also on the rise because more people are purchasing vehicles for personal use. Because of the inability to police reckless drivers on most roads, car transportation qualifies as one of the most dangerous means of transport today.
Motorcycles
The number of casualties reported in motorcycle accidents places these transport means within the most dangerous transport methods category. A report published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely to die in an accident compared to car passengers. The high motorcycle accident rate on American roads is attributed to disregarding the law. This concern is reflected in statistics showing that 36% of motorcycle accidents involve riders without legitimate licenses. The number of motorcycle accidents also spikes in poor weather, leading to frozen and slippery roads.
The Safest Means of Transportation
Airplanes
Airplanes qualify as one of the safest means of transport based on their accident statistics. While most people fear boarding planes, fearing for the worst, locomoting using a plane is 100 times safer than driving. This makes airplanes the least dangerous means of transport. Based on the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in 2023, there were no fatal accidents involving passenger aircraft. The report further shows that between 2019 and 2023, the average number of plane accidents was 1.9 per every 880,293 flights. This number reveals that airplane transport is the safest mode of transport. However, barriers such as costs and convenience are equally common when considering this means of transport.
Trains
After airplanes, trains are the safest means of transportation today. Significant technological strides have been made in this area, which makes the safety ratings even more impressive. In the U.S., the fastest train clocks 150 mph, compared to the fastest train, which can move at 217 mph. Despite modern trains reaching such speeds, derailment incidents are minimal. Within the last ten years, the number of train derailment incidents has been less than 50. This shows that such incidents are rare. Most of the casualties reported in such cases are train-related, whereby people get hit or collide with incoming trains at unprotected crossings.
Buses
Buses occupy the third position as the least dangerous transport method after airplanes and trains. While the average number of bus collisions is 60,000 annually, property damage is the most common concern in most cases. Thus, buses are safer than most transport methods, including motorcycles and cars. Most people use buses to move within the city limits, which limits the chances of getting involved in accidents. Bus transportation safety can also be attributed to vehicle speed limits, which are designed to move much slower than cars and motorcycles.