Why Flying Commercially Remains The Safest Form of Transportation — Even After 2025’s Deadly Crashes

Commercial aviation has long been regarded as the safest mode of transportation. This reputation has been earned through decades of technological innovation, rigorous regulatory oversight, and the aviation industry’s commitment to continuous safety improvements. However, in 2025, this perception has been challenged by a string of high-profile, deadly crashes — including several tragic incidents that occurred as recently as this month (April 2025).

Below are a few of the major accidents reported in 2025 where persons either died or were injured:

• A family of six (6) died after their aircraft crashed while attempting to land near the Massachusetts border in Copake, New York on 12th April, 2025.
• Three (3) people died after their Cessna plane crashed while attempting to land in Boca Raton, Florida, on 11th April, 2025.
• A family of five (5) died after their tourist helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near New York City on 10th April, 2025. The pilot also died in this crash, bringing the death toll to six (6). 
• Nearly two (2) dozen passengers were injured when a Delta Air Lines plane crashed at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada on 17th February, 2025. The CRJ-900 plane eventually settled upside down on the tarmac.
• One (1) person died and several others were injured after a plane, attempting to land, crashed into a parked plane at the Scottsdale Airport in Arizona on 10th February, 2025.
• Ten (10) people died after a Bering Air plane crashed on sea ice, Southeast of Nome, Alaska, on 7th February, 2025.
• Four (4) people died after a U.S. military-contracted plane crashed in the Philippines on 6th February, 2025. 
• Six (6) people died after a Learjet 55 crashed on a street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 31st January, 2025. An additional person died on the ground in their car, bringing the death toll to seven (7).
• Sixty-seven (67) people in total died after an American Airlines (AA) plane collided in midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, DC on 29th January, 2025. The AA plane was carrying sixty-four (64) people onboard while the Black Hawk was carrying three (3). 

These events have naturally sparked public fear and renewed scrutiny of airline safety standards. But while every life lost in an aviation accident is a tragedy, it is important to examine the broader context. Even in the face of these incidents, commercial flying remains statistically the safest way to travel.

Let’s take a deeper look at why this remains true in 2025.

The Numbers: Understanding Aviation Safety Through Data

Aviation safety is best understood in terms of probability and scale. According to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in 2024, there was approximately one (1) major accident for every 1.2 million flights. That means if you boarded a different flight every single day, statistically, it would take you over 3,000 years to be involved in a fatal accident.

In 2025, the number of crashes has undeniably increased — with several deadly accidents occurring in the first quarter alone, including tragic crashes in Asia, Europe, and North America. However, even with these incidents, the number of flights operating daily, worldwide, remains in the tens of thousands. The sheer volume of safe flights far outweighs the number of those that end in tragedy.

Comparing aviation to other modes of transport makes the safety of flying even more apparent. According to the U.S. National Safety Council:

• The odds of dying in a car crash: 1 in 101;
• The odds of dying in a motorcycle crash: 1 in 899;
• The odds of dying in a commercial airline crash: 1 in 11 million.

Aviation Safety: Built On Redundancy And Regulation

One of the key reasons aviation remains so safe is the principle of redundancy. Every commercial airliner is designed with multiple layers of backup systems — from hydraulic controls to electrical circuits to engine configurations. If one system fails, another is ready to take over.

Commercial pilots also undergo some of the most intensive and ongoing training of any profession. They are trained not just to fly, but to handle emergencies with calm and precision. In fact, many crashes are avoided each year thanks to the quick thinking and professionalism of flight crews — most of which never make the news.

In addition, agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and global watchdogs like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) enforce strict rules for aircraft maintenance, pilot hours, safety protocols, and equipment upgrades.

Every crash — no matter how rare — is investigated thoroughly by expert teams, and the findings often lead to changes in procedures, technology, and policies. This continuous improvement cycle is what keeps air travel on a steady trajectory toward greater safety.

The 2025 Crashes: A Harsh Reminder, Not The Norm

There’s no denying the emotional and psychological impact of the 2025 aviation tragedies. News of these crashes has led to fear and public concern.

However, aviation experts stress that these incidents are anomalies, not a sign of systemic decline. In fact, several of the crashes are already believed to be the result of highly unusual, overlapping failures — the kind that occur once in many millions of flights.

Early investigations show that at least one (1) incident was caused by a previously unknown manufacturing defect, which is now prompting immediate global inspections and software updates. Another was attributed to extreme weather that overwhelmed both instruments and human judgment — an area already being targeted for AI-enhanced forecasting improvements.

The aviation industry is transparent about its flaws and deeply committed to learning from every incident. That is what sets it apart from other forms of transportation: failure in aviation is never ignored, and no accident is accepted as “just part of the risk.”

Comparing Safety Culture: Airlines Vs. Roads

One major reason aviation is so much safer than road travel is culture.

In the airline industry, safety is institutionalized. Maintenance checks are routine, pilots follow strict checklists, and air traffic control provides constant oversight. On the roads, meanwhile, we have millions of individual drivers, many of whom are distracted, fatigued, or impaired.

Consider this: over 40,000 people die in car accidents each year in the United States alone. That’s more than 100 people per day. By comparison, the worst year in recent aviation history — which still pales in comparison to road deaths — involved fewer than 1,000 total fatalities worldwide.

The stark contrast shows just how resilient commercial aviation is, even when rare failures occur.

The Future of Flying: Safer Than Ever

The aviation world is not standing still. In response to 2025’s crashes, regulators and manufacturers are already taking action:

• Aircraft are being retrofitted with next-gen sensors and real-time diagnostic systems;
• AI is being deployed to assist pilots in high-stress situations;
• Weather forecasting and turbulence detection are being improved through machine learning;
• New pilot training simulations are being developed based on the actual 2025 crash scenarios.

These efforts will not just prevent similar tragedies — they will raise the bar for safety even higher.

Final Thoughts: Rational Fear vs. Reality

It is perfectly human to feel nervous about flying after hearing about plane crashes. The media naturally focuses more attention on aviation disasters than on the thousands of safe flights that take place daily. But fear doesn’t always reflect risk.

The reality is clear: even in 2025 — a year so far marked by rare but tragic accidents — commercial aviation is still the safest way to travel. And thanks to the industry’s relentless drive for safety, it is only getting safer.

So the next time you board a flight, remember this: you are stepping into a machine that’s part of the most heavily-regulated, technologically-advanced, and statistically-secure transportation system in human history.

You are, quite literally, in good hands.