In the midst of summer, many begin to travel to various resorts. Therefore, the question of what is the safest mode of transport began to appear among people more and more often. The reason for its relevance is the large number of different accidents that have occurred recently both in the air and on the ground.
Frightened people are no longer able to believe in the safety and reliability of vehicles and begin to spend hours on the Internet in search of an answer to the question - what kind of transport should they use to travel or fly? In this case, everything is taken into account: the characteristics of the vehicles, the degree of their wear and reliability.
But you shouldn’t go into too much detail on this topic, but rather try to find the safest mode of transport for yourself. Recently, particularly witty people have begun to argue that soon the safest means of transportation will become since a horse is sometimes smarter than the person who controls it. Following this simple logical conclusion, it will even be possible to exclude
So, you should turn your attention to the problem called “the safest mode of transport”. The statistics have remained virtually unchanged over the past few years. Therefore, we can safely say that the first position, according to the people surveyed, is occupied by railway transport. Aviation comes in last place. About 70 percent of respondents were in favor of electric trains and trains. Approximately 84 percent decided that aircraft were the most dangerous means of transportation.
But the undisputed leader in the field of passenger transportation is cars. About 82 percent of people worldwide use a variety of makes and models of cars. Moreover, most of the respondents do so very often. About 64 percent of people prefer to travel by train. The fewest people on Earth use aviation and water transport - only about fifteen percent.
But everything that was listed above relates to the purely individual opinion of people. However, an independent study identified a completely different safest mode of transport. We are talking about aviation. This means of transportation is the most reliable and safe. After aviation, water and railway means are in the ranking. But cars are, on the contrary, the most dangerous means of transportation.
But if we take the mileage traveled as a basis, then the safest mode of transport is spacecraft. Only three such devices have failed in the entire history of mankind. In addition, despite the high cost, it is becoming more and more popular and is already in great demand.
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 that 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.
The safest form of transport has not yet been found, so you should not naively assume that you are completely safe when traveling on it. When compiling statistics, the human factor and a series of absurd accidents are often not taken into account.
Of course, it is impossible to name the safest modes of transport unambiguously, but statistics indicate that the safest mode of transport is a train, and the most dangerous is a motorcycle or moped. Only one percent of the world's population rides motorcycles, but more than twenty percent of deaths occur on this type of transport. Motorcyclists are killed twenty-eight times more often than car drivers.
In second place among dangerous modes of transport is a regular bicycle. This means of transportation is also dangerous because children and teenagers die on it.
Next come the subways and ferries, which kill many people at once. The next two places are occupied by minibuses and cars, which a couple of years ago were considered the most dangerous types of transport. The fact is that the design of the machines has changed a lot, and the level of safety has increased.
In third place is the bus, which accounts for 0.5% of deaths per billion kilometers. Of course, these data are aggregated, since in Egypt bus accidents occur more often than in Russia.
Can the statement that an airplane is the safest form of transport be considered true? Probably far from fully due to a number of factors.
Flying by plane is much safer, since only 0.5% of deaths occur per one and a half billion kilometers. This takes into account not only civil aviation accidents, but also small aviation helicopters.
It is worth clarifying that almost always all passengers and crew members die. When purchasing tickets for a flight and boarding a plane, passengers do not often think about where it is best and safest to sit down.
Experts, of course, are trying to determine the safest seats on the plane. These do not include the comfort seats located in the front, although they are located quite far from the engines.
The most dangerous places are considered to be in the middle of the aircraft cabin, since they are located above the wing of the aircraft. This leads to dire consequences when the fuel ignites, and there will be quite a lot of casualties.
Is it safe to fly on an airplane? Yes, if you find those very safe places in it. To minimize the risk of injury in a plane crash, you should choose seats near the emergency exit or at the rear of the plane. This is due to the fact that as a result of the panic that occurs in emergency situations, passengers run to the emergency exit. Those sitting next to him will not have to run across the entire cabin.
It is safe to sit at the back of the cabin, because the impact of the nose on the ground during a fall will cause vibrations that will not reach the tail of the aircraft. By the way, most often in the event of a disaster, it is the tail part of the airliner that falls off, allowing people to survive.
Thus, to the question of whether it is safe to fly on airplanes, we can answer that if all safety standards are observed, it is quite safe. However, if the airliner explodes at an altitude of several tens of kilometers, there will be no need to talk about the safety of passengers.
The most interesting thing is that all people in the world are terrified of flying, however, they easily get behind the wheel of a dangerous motorcycle.
Statistics on the safest mode of transport indicate that the bus ranks third most dangerous. It is worth noting that there are some differences between long-distance and intercity buses.
Buses that go far have soft and extremely comfortable seats. Bulk and heavy bags should not be kept with you; they are placed in the luggage compartment, so they will not injure the passenger if they fall on their head in an emergency.
In order to avoid unpleasant consequences as a result of an accident, you should follow some simple rules. Even the safest seats on a bus will not be able to save a person during an emergency if they are not wearing seat belts.
It is worth looking around in advance, choosing places closer to hatches or emergency exits. You should always keep documents, money and the most primitive first aid kit with you.
You don't need to occupy the front and back seats to feel safe. It is worth noting that in a head-on collision, the passengers who occupy the first four rows will suffer the most.
The safest place on the bus is in the middle. However, you need to understand where exactly it is located. If the place is located on the left near the window, then a blow from the side of the roadway is possible. It is worth sitting closer to the aisle, which will save you from a fatal blow that the person sitting next to you will take.
The safest seats on a long-distance bus are located in the very center. They are located near the emergency exit or middle door, provided the vehicle is large. Of course, these places are unlikely to save you if a bus is rammed by another vehicle, but in any other circumstances they will help you save your own life.
By the way, in case of a frontal impact the safest places will be from 13 to 18, and in case of a left impact – from third to seventh. In the event of an emergency with a blow from the right, those who occupy 10th and 22nd seats will definitely not die, and in a collision into the rear of the bus - 1st, 2nd, 21st, 22nd seats.
The question of which seats on the bus are the safest can be answered 100% by statistics. In this case, you need to clarify the type of bus and its range. In commuter scenarios, the safest place is where the person sits with their back to the driver or other passenger.
Many people in the world continue to worry about the question of which type of transport is the safest. It is worth clarifying that as a result of a huge number of surveys conducted around the world, it was found that the safest mode of transport is the train.
The safest trains are considered to be vehicles that move on the rails of most American and European countries. Russian railways are not in last place in terms of safety and reliability, since the mortality rate on them is only 0.7% per one and a half billion kilometers.
What is the safest mode of transport Russians found out for themselves in the All-Russian survey; more than 70% of citizens of our country consider the train the most reliable transport. At the same time, there is no separation between commuter trains and trains that will take you to another city or even country.
The safety of this type of transport lies in the fact that it follows strictly on the rails. Dispatcher services ensure that trains do not collide, which significantly reduces the possibility of an accident.
The safest seats in a train carriage are those located in the middle of the train. These cars, as a rule, are more stable and safe than their tail or head counterparts. In a head-on collision, passengers in the first carriages have very little chance of surviving; they will be the first to derail.
If you are traveling on a long-distance train, you should choose the fifth or sixth compartment. It is necessary to clarify that when traveling on the top bunk, you need to choose it in the direction of the train. You should not leave any objects on the table in the compartment, because there is a possibility of injury.
According to statistics, the safest mode of transport in the world will be reliable if all conditions are met. This can only be done if it is possible to book a ticket with the right to choose a seat.
It would be best to choose a compartment close to the conductor, since it will be easier to get out of it. In the event of a fire or other problems in the carriages, you should not pull the stop valve on the bridge or in the tunnel, as this will complicate the evacuation of passengers.
The safest seats in a subway car
The safest form of transport in Russia is a train that travels on the ground, but the metro is only in seventh place in terms of injury rates.
Before boarding a subway car, you should write down or remember your phone number behind the glass in the cab. It is necessary in order to contact the station duty officers.
Most often, trains in the metro, according to transport safety statistics, are exposed to the threat of terrorist attacks. If an explosion has taken place, you should not leave the carriage, because there is a risk that the electrical wires in the tunnel are damaged.
It is necessary to choose seats in the middle carriages, because it is quite dangerous to be in the head section during an accident. Some experts clarify that it is a good idea to be in the tail car because of the possibility of quick evacuation from it.
The safest seats in a subway car are standing ones, since explosive devices are most often placed under the seats. It’s not a bad idea to be in a crowd, and the people around you will become a kind of human shield during an explosion.
Speaking about the safety of passengers during terrorist attacks, it is necessary to clarify that explosives are most often left in medium-sized carriages filled to capacity. For example, during the terrorist attacks in the Moscow metro, carriages number three and two were the most damaged.
During a terrorist attack, you need to lie on the floor and not touch metal parts in the carriage to avoid electric shock.
Statistics on the safety of modes of transport are compiled from surveys of the world's inhabitants in various surveys or questionnaires. It is worth remembering that these sad statistics are calculated as the number of people killed along a certain segment of the journey.
Statistical data does not always coincide with people’s surveys, but you still need to believe stubborn statistics.
Are you afraid to fly, preferring a car or a train? Completely in vain. Today we will determine the safest mode of transport based on dry statistics, which, as it turns out, have little to do with our fears.
It’s not for nothing that we started with fears, because they clearly show to what extent our emotions and speculation can prevail over facts and common sense. It is no coincidence that absolutely all sociological surveys give approximately the same results. People consider the train to be the safest mode of transport, the car comes in second place, and the most dangerous, of course, is the plane. But it gives slightly different results.
There are several methods for calculating deaths in different modes of transport in the world. The most accurate and common is the ratio of deaths per segment of the distance traveled. The starting point is considered to be 100 million miles (160 million kilometers).
True, based on these statistics, the safest mode of transport is space transport. After all, in its entire history, only three accidents occurred, and colossal distances were covered. However, space tourism is a prospect, although not too distant, but of the future, so we will look at more common means of transportation.
Especially for you: airplane is the safest mode of transport, statistics confirm this 100%. There are 0.6 deaths per 100 million miles. If we take 2014 as an example, there were 21 plane crashes worldwide. Of these, 10 are cargo ships, 11 are passenger ships. A total of 990 people died. This is less than the number of cyclists who died, and even less than the number of people who died in a year at the hands of donkeys.
In total, about 33 million flights were made during the year. On average, there is one accident per 1 million flights. It should be noted that most of them are on small private jets.
The probability of dying in a regular passenger flight crash is extremely small, 1/8,000,000. Even flying every day, it will take 21 millennia to get on that ill-fated flight that crashes.
The myth that there is no chance of survival in a plane crash also has little to do with reality. Aircraft are designed by people who know first-hand about aerodynamics and gravity. Therefore, in order to hit the ground with a bang from a height of 10,000 km, you need to try hard.
Let's turn again to statistics. Over the past 20-plus years, there have been approximately 500 aircraft accidents in the United States. The number of deaths in them was only 5% of the passengers on board at the time of the accident. Even if we ignore minor incidents and analyze only serious disasters with impacts on the ground, the breaking of the aircraft body and fires, the number of survivors in them is approximately 50%.
Railway transport
According to statistics, this is the safest form of land transport. The mortality rate from train accidents is 0.9 passengers per 160 million km. It sounds incredible, considering the speed at which ultra-modern trains travel. However, you can't argue with the numbers. At the same time, global statistics are largely spoiled by countries such as, where the concept of safety has a very specific meaning.
Automobile transport
For every 160 million km traveled, 1.6 people die in road accidents. According to these statistics, a car can easily be considered the most dangerous type of transport. Every year, about 1.2 million people die on the world's roads, which is a thousand times more than in plane crashes. Thus, you are more likely to get into an accident on the way to the airport than to die on the plane itself.
Moreover, these figures apply only to four-wheeled vehicles. If we talk about motorcycles and mopeds, then the mortality rate there is many times higher: 42 people per 160 million km.
Crash Landings: a video showing that even the most difficult situations have a way out.
Very often I heard conversations and judgments about which transport is safer. They especially intensify after another disaster.
Some say that airplanes, despite the number of accidents and the hype around them, are actually very safe if you look at the statistics. That, they say, it’s faster to die under the wheels of a car.
Others say that trains are the safest. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, for example, traveled only by train.
So which is safer? As a person who loves to travel, this has always been interesting to me.
Let's try to figure this out.
In order not to be unfounded, we need specific numbers. Let's take statistics for Russia over the last 10 years (from 2005 to 2014) from the Goskomstat website - http://www.gks.ru/wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_main/rosstat/ru/statistics/enterprise/transport/#
The death toll in absolute numbers looks like this:
As you can see, the majority die on highways—thousands.
The figures for railway transport seem suspiciously small - after all, there were Nevsky Express with deaths, but for some reason these figures are not in the official statistics. It turns out, as follows from the explanations of the State Statistics Committee, the figures for railway transport only include those killed due to the fault of Russian Railways.
But it doesn’t matter, we’ll take additional information from Wikipedia:
This does not guarantee us absolute accuracy, but we will receive the missing information about the Nevsky Express in 2009 and the explosion at the Volgograd station in 2013.
Thus, let's adjust our table of deaths:
Now let's look at transportation statistics according to the same State Statistics Committee:
To compare data on transportation and fatalities, it is necessary that the measurements relate to the same type of transport. Unfortunately, data on deaths on roads and streets includes both transportation for a fee on buses, taxis, trolleybuses and other types of transport, as well as private trips in their personal vehicles and pedestrian deaths. It’s difficult to say how many private vehicles are on the roads every day.
It turns out that it is possible to correctly compare the number of transported and the number of dead only for four types of transport:
I got the coefficient in column 4 by dividing column 3 by column 2 and 1,000,000 (because column 2 is in millions).
What does this coefficient mean? In fact, this is the probability of dying on one or another type of transport. For example, the number 0.000000006 for railway transport, means that for each transported billion According to the theory of probability, people may die 6 Human.
We see that for maritime transport the probability is the highest and is 5 person for each transported million Human. And for air transport - almost 2 person for each transported million.
For people traveling long distances, the choice is usually between train and plane.
I always wanted to know how much safer a train is than a plane. Let's figure it out: divide 0.000001715 on 0.000000006 and we get 268 . IN 268 once!!! I never thought that there would be such a difference, but these are facts - with billions of passengers transported in 10 years, only 74 people died on railways, and with a number 19 times smaller, 14 times more people died on air transport.
Now I understand Kim Jong Il: if you transfer his entire country (25 million) by trains, no one will die, but if by planes, then according to the theory of probability, at least 42 people may die...
As for statistics on other modes of transport. Since January 2015, a statistical observation form has been introduced, Form N Road Accidents “Information on Road Accidents”, where in Section 8 you can see information about passengers of buses, trolleybuses and trams who died in road accidents.
Information for January-September 2015 can be viewed on the traffic police website:
According to the traffic police, during this period the following people died:
- 82 bus passenger
- 3 trolleybus passenger
- 1 tram passenger
Considering that trams and trolleybuses carry even more passengers than rail, these figures look very good. And for buses, the statistics are only slightly worse than for trains. But again, these statistics have just begun to be collected, and final conclusions can be drawn in 2-3 years.
What conclusions can be drawn? Rail transport is the safest. The mortality statistics on roads, although huge in absolute numbers, relate for the most part to unorganized private trips in cars and to pedestrians on the roads. If you travel by bus, then you greatly increase your chances of completing your trip safely.
