The safest air transport. The safest mode of transport: statistics in the world

Statistics and public opinion on this issue vary greatly. One thing is certain: There are no absolutely safe modes of transport. Nevertheless, many passengers’ fears about using this or that type of transport are unfounded.

According to a survey conducted in 2006 by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM), airplanes ranked last in terms of safety, and railway transport came in first place.

70% of respondents give it a positive assessment, and only 15% consider it “definitely dangerous”. Aviation received negative reviews. 84% of respondents believe that such travel is dangerous, and 33% believe that it is very dangerous. Water transport had similar assessments: 44% perceive it as a dangerous method of transportation and only 39% as a safe one. And the most popular type of transport - automobile - is assessed ambiguously: 48% consider it safe, 50% consider it dangerous.

Statistics say the opposite. Airplane is considered the safest, followed by water and rail transport.. But cars are considered the most dangerous means of transportation. The data is calculated based on the number of victims when using a particular type of transport.

We feel most secure in. But according to statistics, the number of accidents is much higher than in. Usually they are not so widespread and receive less public attention.

According to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization - the UN agency that sets international standards for civil aviation), there is one accident per million flights, which cannot be said about car and other accidents. But any plane crash, even of the smallest aircraft, immediately attracts media attention. This contributes to the formation of a negative opinion about aviation as a very dangerous form of transportation.

However, investigations into plane crashes indicate that they occur due to a combination of rare circumstances, the possibility of which is minimal (air crash statistics).

The probability that a passenger boarding a plane will die in a plane crash is approximately 1/8,000,000. If a passenger boarded a random flight every day, it would take him 21,000 years to die.

It is also a mistaken belief that in the event of a plane crash the chances of survival are minimal. According to the results of an analysis of 568 aviation accidents that occurred in USA from 1983 to 2000, fatalities account for only 5% of total passengers on board. According to these statistics, of the 53,487 people involved in plane crashes, 51,207 survived. As a result of a more detailed study of 26 serious accidents, accompanied by strong impacts of the liners on the ground, their breaking into pieces and fires, it turned out that approximately 50% of the people on board were saved in these disasters (how to survive a plane crash).

The likelihood of survival of the crew of passengers and pilots increases if the aircraft makes an emergency splashdown, even if it is not designed for such measures. Experts say splashdown increases the chances of human survival by 50%.

Compared to the statistics of plane crashes, the statistics of road accidents does not look very rosy. Only in In the Russian Federation in 2009, there were 203,603 road accidents, as a result of which 26,084 people were killed and 257,034 were injured.

Of course, if we take the number of kilometers traveled as a basis, then The safest mode of transport can be safely considered space travel. In the entire history of development, only 3 spacecraft did not reach the ground (2 for the Americans and 1 for us). By the way, space tourism, despite its cost, is becoming increasingly popular, and the number of people wishing to visit space is constantly growing.

An airplane is the safest form of transport on Earth; even cars and trains are significantly inferior in safety to airplanes. Despite this, with each new disaster there are more and more aerophobes. Many people in the world are afraid of airplanes, mistakenly believing that other modes of transport are much safer. Is it true that there is a high chance of an accident? And can an airplane be called the safest mode of transport? We need to figure it out.

Statistics and odds

To determine that an airplane is the safest mode of transport, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the statistics. On average, seventeen disasters are officially registered per year. It is important to understand that these sad events occurred not only in Russia, but throughout the world. Over the hundred years of the existence of civil aviation, one hundred thousand people have become victims of plane crashes during flights. That's less than the rate of car accidents per year.

It is worth noting: there are no fewer crashes on cargo flights than there are on passenger flights, which is another argument in favor of choosing an airplane. The chance of falling is so small that a person is more likely to die from a lightning strike than from a plane crash. Statistical analysis led to the conclusion that public opinion regarding transport safety is based on fears and superstitions.

Flight safety

It is worth mentioning the positive qualities of flying. This is the fastest mode of transport. We can also say that the safest mode of transport is an airplane. To agree with this statement, all flight histories must be studied. As you can see, the list of plane crashes is small.

Engine failure

Flying is the safest form of travel. This has been proven for centuries since the beginning of aviation. The plane flies thanks to its wings; during landing, takeoff and flight, its movements are controlled by engines. But what happens if they refuse?

If one engine fails, the passenger will not feel it because the plane can be controlled by the second engine. And even if both break down, the plane will not fall down at a right angle, but will glide in the air for about two hundred kilometers indefinitely.

Turbulence

It is not often that you meet a person who has not encountered turbulence while flying. Everyone describes it as pitching. What is it? Turbulence is when, when liquids or gases accelerate in the external environment, vortices are formed that irritate the external environment.

Many passengers wonder: can turbulence cause a tragedy? This can't happen. The plane is designed in such a way that in order for it to fall due to turbulence, a force is needed that can only be found in the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter.

Pilots try to fly around the turbulence zone, and airplanes can endure incredible shaking, so in terrestrial conditions the chance of falling from turbulence tends to zero. Only once in the history of mankind has an airplane crashed due to turbulence, when the pilot decided to fly over a volcano. Therefore, turbulence is only a comfort issue, not a safety issue.

Flying in bad weather

Pilots have an excellent understanding of weather conditions. A certain time before departure, they look at the forecast for the route to avoid getting caught in a storm. If the weather forecast does not comply with safety regulations, the flight is canceled or rescheduled to another day. Before starting their career, pilots undergo many tests on simulators, learning to act decisively and calmly in any situation.

How much does wind shear affect flight?

Wind shear is a sudden change in air movement and/or speed over a short distance in the atmosphere. This is an important factor affecting the aircraft during takeoff and landing. It applies not only to airplanes, but also to other types of aircraft.

Wind shear occurs in the lowest layers of the atmosphere (up to one hundred meters in height). Modern aircraft have more mass, which makes them more inert. High inertia does not allow the aircraft to quickly change its speed. Keeping an airplane at this speed while flying through different wind levels results in a change in speed in the air. Because of this, the plane follows a trajectory lower than expected, making the landing dangerous.

What's really dangerous?

Icing is when the outside of an airplane becomes covered in ice. Occurs when flying in the sky with supercooled drops of water. This is very dangerous, since icing worsens the controllability of the aircraft and makes it heavier. The result could be an accident or even a plane crash. Even at the airport, the plane can become icy at sub-zero temperatures. Before the flight, the ship is treated with a special liquid that stops the formation of ice. They douse every external part of the aircraft: from the wings to the stabilizer. In the atmosphere, icing is unlikely, but possible.

Causes

There are three main causes of plane crashes:

Staff error.
Technical difficulites.
Act of terrorism.

Let's consider each of them separately.

Personnel error

It must be understood that personnel error means not only the wrong step of the pilots during the flight, but also the unprofessional work of maintenance and operation specialists, technicians, dispatchers, and operators. After all, it is impossible to predict human actions, and flight is a complex sequence of technical processes that requires strict control.

The majority of plane crashes are due to the human factor, as official statistics show. However, technology is moving forward rapidly. Every year, aviation engineers develop new automatic systems and design new generations of aircraft, which reduces the role of humans in flight to a minimum.

Technical difficulites

Bad and cheap equipment can easily fail at any inconvenient moment, but even high-quality automation fails. Equipment failure is a common cause of plane crashes; about a third of crashes occur precisely because of this.

The main causes of operational problems are malfunctions of the on-board computer and navigation systems. It is very difficult to find out the exact cause of these breakdowns. Taking this into account, airlines are purchasing new and safe aircraft, abandoning outdated models.

Act of terrorism

Since the middle of the last century, terrorist attacks have become a major problem affecting flight safety. Most often, terrorists hijack a ship or plant explosives on an airplane. Such disasters, unfortunately, take many lives.

Is it dangerous to fly on airplanes? As you can see, the statistics of falls are low, and their causes are rare situations from which no one on earth is immune.

Calculate, what type of transport is the safest, not so simple. To build a beautiful and visual graph, at least two indicators are required - the number of dead or injured, as well as the number of people who use this type of transport. For air, rail and water transport, this data is not difficult to find, because thanks to tickets, every person is taken into account. But there are problems with automobile transport. It is not possible to track the movements of the average Russian from work, to work and to the store - no one registers at the doorstep of their home.

Our transport safety rating according to statistics for 2018 was compiled using various sources - from data from the National Union of Insurers, which keeps statistics of registered insurance cases from 2012 to the present, to data on transport accidents on the Rosstat website.

> 200 deaths per 1.6 billion km

Although the number of accidents involving motorcyclists has decreased by more than 70% since 2005, the motorcycle remains one of the most dangerous forms of transport. According to statistics, it turns out that every 1.6 billion km of travel is paid for with the lives of more than two hundred drivers and their passengers.

A motorcycle, like another two-wheeled vehicle - a bicycle - is characterized by increased vulnerability, so accidents involving motorcyclists are highly likely to end sadly. The reason is non-compliance with traffic rules, and, surprisingly, the fundamental refusal of some drivers to use a helmet.

5.75 people per 1.6 billion km

Personal cars are in second place in terms of the number of road accidents. In just 1.6 billion km of travel, at least 5.75 people die.

The reasons include the reluctance of drivers to comply with traffic rules, the condition of the road surface, the increased wear and tear of the vehicle fleet due to the crisis and the deterioration of the purchasing power of the population. And also (due to the increase in the average age of life) and the aging of drivers. All these factors together serve as a guarantee that road transport in Russia will not be safe for a long time.

9.4 deaths per 1 million passengers

Among air transport, the greatest danger to human life is not international transportation, but intercity transportation. Especially if a person in a helicopter is forced to go to those lands where even the notorious Makar prefers not to send his calves. Perhaps this is what explains such a high number of casualties among helicopter passengers. For every 1 million people, at least 9.4 are injured. You will have to fall from a great height, and, with a high degree of probability, the injuries will be incompatible with life.

5 deaths per 1.5 billion km

Minibus taxis cannot be called the safest type of transport in Russia. According to statistics, every 1.5 billion km of route traveled by a minibus is paid for by five human lives. Among the reasons can be cited both the work of drivers for wear and tear, as well as design flaws of minibuses, the condition of the roads, unwillingness to comply with traffic rules and drunk driving.

2.84 victims per 1 million transported

In 2018, there were several major accidents involving intercity buses, including a tragic incident in the Voronezh region, when two buses collided, five people died and 17 were injured. In general, according to statistics, intercity and international buses are not safe - for every million passengers transported there are accidents At least 2.84 are injured or killed. In total, in 2018, travel on intercity buses caused the death of more than 600 passengers, and more than 13 thousand people were injured.

2.3 accidents per 1 million passengers

This category includes both international ships and domestic river carriers. In total, in 2018, 62 incidents occurred during sea and river travel, which ended tragically for five people. In general, according to NSS statistics, for every million passengers transported, there are 2.3 accidents.

Passengers on sea and river vessels are threatened not only by the elements of water, but also by fire. One of the common causes of transport accidents is a sudden fire on board a ship, usually caused by faulty electrical wiring. This is not surprising, given that Russia's domestic fleet is in poor condition, and almost a third of the ships have celebrated 40 years of service.

Chance of dying: 1:11,000,000

The safest transport in the world, however, in Russia it is not possible to obtain accurate statistics on the number of accidents per number of passengers. Data from the National Society of Insurers, which we relied on when assessing the danger of other modes of transport, are not available for them. The reason is the peculiarities of the insurance system in Russia; Most air transport companies transport their passengers not only within the country, but also abroad. Therefore, they use international insurance policies.

This is why an airplane is the safest mode of transport: according to statistics, The chances of dying in an accident on board an airplane are 1 in 11 million. For comparison, the chances of being struck by lightning while walking in a thunderstorm are 16 times higher!

0.17 accidents per 1 million passengers

This category includes both intercity and international trains, as well as regular commuter trains. In general, for 2018 the statistics for Russian Railways look excellent - for almost the entire year, from January to November, only seven incidents were recorded. Unfortunately, there were some deaths - one person died. In general, there are no more than 0.17 accidents per 1 million passengers.

More and more people prefer to use one of the safest modes of transport, and this cannot be explained by price alone. Indeed, for some destinations the cost of plane and train tickets is almost equal. According to the Russian Railways website, in 2018, long-distance trains carried almost 8% more passengers than last year. And the increase in the number of passengers on electric trains amounted to almost 3%.

0.09 cases per million transported

The trolleybus is in second place in terms of safety among modes of transport in Russia. According to NSS statistics, for every million passengers transported there are only 0.09 accidents. Most of them are banal “stumbled and fell.”

The reasons for the low trauma rate of a trolleybus are very simple - its volume and weight, as well as its low speed. In a collision, for example, with a passenger car, the car will suffer much worse. And the trolleybus passengers will get away with minor bruises.

0.04 victims out of 1,000,000 people

The safest transport according to statistics for 2018 in terms of the ratio of the number of accidents to the number of passengers. In total, out of one million people arriving from point A to point B, no more than 0.04 people are injured. In addition to safety, the tram has many advantages:

it moves more smoothly than a car or even a trolleybus;
less noisy;
completely autonomous from traffic jams (unless, of course, motorists try to drive along the tracks);
Of all urban transport, it causes the least harm to the environment.

Unfortunately, trams are gradually disappearing from small towns in Russia. The reason is the limited local budget, which simply cannot support a separate line. In just the past twenty years, the number of trams has decreased by more than 35%. Does this mean that the safest form of transport will gradually disappear from the urban landscape?

Given the large number of different vehicles, many specialists and experts, of course, want to know which ones are the safest. Statistics show that the safest mode of transport is an airplane.

Experts divide transport into 2 groups:

By service sector:

Public options
Special forces
Private

By environment of use:

Ground - this includes wheeled and rail versions
Underground - metro
Air
Space
Water and underwater
Pipeline

Passengers boarding an airplane often shudder at the thought of taking off and landing. However, official statistics are clear - airliners are quite safe from the point of view of movement.

The calculations are based on the number of victims per 100 million miles. According to the results of such calculations, the mortality rate in plane crashes is 0.6 people. You can die in a plane crash in 1 case in 8 million. If compared with other options traditionally considered safer, then this figure will turn out to be completely ridiculous. Thus, in accidents with mopeds and motorcycles, the statistics is 125 deaths per 1.5 billion km. Cyclists die on the roads in considerable numbers - 35 deaths per 1.5 billion km of travel. Even in the metro, more people die than in air transport - 25 cases per 1.5 billion km.

What ensures the safety of the airliner?

The reliability of aircraft, as experts note, is ensured by a certain number of factors. First of all, each aircraft undergoes a whole range of serious tests before flying. Moreover, it is inspected by both technicians and the captain of the ship, who must be personally confident in the excellent condition of the airliner he is accepting for flight.

Secondly, this is the work of security systems. Today, advanced systems are installed on airplanes, and even in quantities of several, which can duplicate each other. Accordingly, if something happens to one of them, the other will be able to duplicate it. The plane can fly and land even with one faulty engine.

Thirdly, landing tactics change regularly. Previously, pilots practiced landing the plane softly, but now they advise doing it roughly, which improves the grip of the landing gear on the runway.

Is it possible to survive a plane crash?

Many people are afraid of the inability to survive a plane crash. But this is also a myth. Yes, in many cases the plane is destroyed. But the cases when passengers remained alive are quite numerous. This is due to the fact that all aircraft are designed by people who are well versed in aerodynamics and gravity. And it’s not so easy for an airplane to fall from a height of 10,000 km.

In the USA, for example, 500 aviation incidents occurred in 20 years. The number of deaths in these is about 5% of the total number of passengers on board the liner. Even in situations like these, when planes crash and break in half, passengers have a chance of surviving.

Choosing a safe place on the plane

Against the backdrop of determining the safety of a particular vehicle, many are, of course, interested in whether it is possible to find safe seats on board the aircraft. Back in 2007, statistics were published that clearly identified the quietest seats on the plane.

To compile statistics, the researchers took data published by the National Security Council of America over 30 years. They took as a basis the dependence of the number of victims on the place where the passengers were located. It turned out that 70% of the crash survivors were located in the section behind the edge of the aircraft's wing. Also, those sitting above the wing have a chance to survive in half the cases.

The part of the plane closer to the tail is in a more advantageous position due to the fact that when it falls, the plane mainly falls with its nose. This means that those sitting behind have a greater chance of salvation.

Statistics of the safest planes

Airbus A340 - a total of 340 of these models were produced, which totaled 13.5 million flight hours, 5 accidents were recorded in which there were no casualties
Airbus A330 - about 600 copies produced. The planes flew 14 million flight hours, and during this time only 1 accident occurred. A total of 8 examples were lost, killing 346 people.
Boeing 747 - in aircraft of this brand there was 1 accident per 17.5 million flights. There are 941 vessels in operation. Over the years of use of such liners, 941 ships were lost, 51 were lost due to accidents in which 3,732 people died
Boeing 737 – 3 tragedies have occurred since 1997

The safest aircraft at the moment is considered to be the Boeing 777. There are 748 copies in the world. Over the years, this model has flown 20 million hours. During this time, 3 people died in two incidents. Only one ship was lost during this time.

So you shouldn’t be afraid of airplanes because of the high accident rate. Moreover, the crew also undergoes special training, has the necessary skills and is not very eager to die. In addition, an airplane is an opportunity to get to your destination quickly and completely safely.

When choosing how to get from point A to point B, we take into account 2 factors - speed and safety. Long trips narrow the choice of vehicle. Today we will discuss the degree of danger of popular modes of transport.

Public opinion

“What is the safest transport?” – this was the question asked by VTsIOM sociologists. Monitoring was carried out for 3 years. Throughout this time, the opinion of Russians has remained virtually unchanged. Considered safe:

Metro – 69%;
bus and tram – 68%;
trains – 51%;
cars -48%;
trolleybus – 40%;
ferries – 38%.

It is interesting to see how people's attitudes towards air travel have changed. In 2011, only 22% of respondents named the plane as the safest mode of transport. The following year the number increased to 33%, and in 2013 it fell to 16%.

The director of the center, V. Fedorov, notes that information influences the indicators. Major plane crashes in 2013 caused a decline in citizens' trust in aircraft.

Statistics

Official data differs from the position of ordinary Russians. First, let's find out how the mortality rate is determined on different means of transportation.

There are several methods. The most accurate and widespread is to count the number of deaths per 100 million km or 160 million miles.

Each transport group contains the safest types of cars, motorcycles, etc. But the average version “as a whole” is taken. American statistical bureau DERT in 2000. This is how the overall mortality rate was calculated:

Airplanes – 0.5;
buses – 0.4;
trains – 0.6;
minibuses – 1.2;
water transport – 2.6;
cars – 3.1;
bicycles – 44.6;
on foot – 54.2;
motorcycle - 108.9.

Based on the flight coefficient of 0.5, a person needs to fly 200 million km before (according to statistics!) an accident occurs. According to statistics, the safest mode of transport is an airplane. It is followed by rail and water transport. In order not to be unfounded, I will take the latest reports as a basis.

Aviation-safety.net has been tracking aviation accidents since 1996. From June 1 to November 1, 2017, 117 aircraft crashed or made an emergency landing around the world, killing 279 people.

In the first five months of this year, in Russia alone, 5,770 people died as a result of road accidents and another 71,461 were injured. Even the safest cars are unable to reduce this number.

According to regnum.ru, over 5 months, trains had the worst results: 41 people died, 172 were injured.

Airplanes take off every 3 seconds. Therefore, the figures are quite comparable and give a general idea of the number of victims over the same period of time. Every year, about 1,000 people die from air transport crashes, and up to two thousand by rail.

Aviation

A car cannot be called the safest means of transportation. In addition, the idea that it is impossible to survive a plane crash is also wrong. If you look at the incident registration resource table, you can see that in most cases there were no casualties. For every 500 disasters in the United States over 20 years, there were 5% of fatalities.

If we take only major crashes from the total, the mortality rate will be about 50%.

In 2007, Popular Mechanics magazine named the safest seats on an airplane. Journalists analyzed data from the US National Security Council for 30 years. They drew attention to the dependence of the number of victims on location.

The number of aircraft survivors as a result of accidents, depending on the landing site

Almost 70% of the survivors remain in the section beyond the edge of the aircraft's wing. 56% of those sitting above the wing survive. The main impact of a collision with the ground falls on the nose of the liner, so the tail is relatively safe.

There are also statistics on the safest planes. Here are the top five:

Airbus A340 - 341 aircraft of this type were produced over 24 years. Over 13.5 million flight hours, 5 accidents were recorded and not a single casualty was reported;
Airbus A330 – 577 copies. 1 incident per 14 million flight hours. A total of 8 units lost, 346 deaths;
Boeing 747 – 1 accident in 17.5 million flights. There are 941 ships in operation, 51 were lost as a result of accidents, 3,732 people died.
Boeing 737 NG – since 1997 3 tragedies occurred (1/17 million hours).

Interesting fact: The Boeing 747 is officially certified to fly without 1 engine (out of 4). Those. in case of failure, he can safely continue the flight to his destination, without emergency landings.

The Boeing 777 is considered the safest aircraft in the world. The total flight time of 748 aircraft since 1995 has amounted to more than 20 million hours. 3 people died in two incidents. One ship has been lost in its entire history. It is important to understand that the rating is compiled without taking into account military operations and terrorist attacks.

Motor transport

Oddly enough, the car we are used to is one of the most dangerous means of transportation, second only to motorcycles. Let's think about our safety in the car. The resource testauto.ru publishes data from the largest companies conducting crash tests. Based on this rating, we will determine the safest cars.

In the general rating column, Volkswagen Passat, Volvo XC-90, Toyota RAV-4, Toyota Prius, Mercedes E-class and C-class, Lexus GS, Jeep Grand Cherokee receive “excellent”.

Such popular brands as BMV 3 Series, Dodge Caliber, Honda Accord VI, Honda Civic Hathback V, Honda CR-V, Volvo S-70 and S-80 and a number of other cars passed the “good” test.

The main criteria for grading are frontal and side impacts, rollovers, and child safety. You can familiarize yourself with other grades in detail on the specified website, but we have listed all the excellent students. The source calls the Volvo XC90 the safest car in the world with reference to EuroNCAP specialists. The device scored the maximum number of stars.

Interestingly, the rating system of some crash tests includes a “pedestrian” rating. Unfortunately, if you look at the table it becomes clear: these road users are practically not protected by anything. Be careful on the roads!

Safe seats in the cabin

Automobile

Do you know what is the safest place in a car? Most people are convinced that it is behind the driver's seat. If a vehicle is hit on the side, the driver and the passenger sitting behind will have equal chances of survival.

The center of the vehicle is least susceptible to damage in an accident. That's why The middle between the two rear seats is considered the safest place in the car.

Public transport

It is least dangerous to occupy central places of public transport. The logic is similar: the greatest probability of collision with cars moving on the left. Accordingly, passengers sitting by the window will be under attack.

It is also not recommended to sit in the back four rows. In the first seats, it is better to sit behind the driver's seat, especially if the seats are located with their backs in the direction of travel. The middle of the cabin remains the safest place on the bus.

Other payment options

This article discusses one option for calculating safety, from the point of view of passenger kilometers. The question can be resolved based on the number of deaths per billion hours. Then, buses will come out in first place, and planes will come down to third. If we take a billion trips as a basis, trains will become the leader, air travel will take seventh place.

All methods have advantages and disadvantages. Statisticians use various algorithms. It’s enough for us to know: it’s safer to travel over short distances by land, and over long distances – by air. Well, the safest transport is a spaceship. He is beyond competition in any case. In the entire history of space exploration, 18 people have died.

We introduced you to transport safety calculation systems and introduced you to the course of sociological surveys. Now, the floor is yours. Which means of transportation is preferable for you? We are waiting for your comments!