Flying is safer. But for the reason that you probably have flown less in your entire life than driving in one month. I know that I am probably in a car more than 300 times a month, and on the flipside I have flown just six times. I agree with you Mac that I like the feeling of control, but what we do not control is the number of stupid drivers on the road whcih make it unsafe for us to drive.
Actually, you are much more likely to die in a car crash each and every trip vs a air plane trip. Although once the crash happens, its not even close, car crash much less likely fatal over a plane crash, thats why it feels safer to drive, but its not. If you take a 600 mile flight, your chance of dying is 1 in 2,089,232. If you drive the same distance, your chance of dying is 1 in 88,263. It is 24 times safer to Fly. This is apples to apples. One trip. Same milage. Its even 10 times safer if you factor in commerical air lines only vs communiter. So if you fly commercial, you are about 240 times safer on the exact same trip than if you fly. Also
Why? Because it is much more difficult to get a pilot's liscence for one. Also, air travel is much, much more regulated. There are far less planes than cars, so less things to run into. And flying is far more regulated for safety than driving.
Another thing to consider. 1 in 75 people injured in an auto accident will die from the injuries. While 2 out of 3 who are injured in air plane crash die. Now when factoring in chance in just getting in an accident, while flying the 600 mile trip you have a one in 1.4 million chance of being injured or killed in a plane crash. On the same drive, you have a 1 in 1,177 chance of biening injured in an auto accident. Not to good at all. When considering injuries not fatalities, flying is 1200 times safer. Flying commerical is 12,000 times safer. Apples to apples.
But yes, unless you are the pilot, you dont control your destiny in a plane. Doesnt make it less safe. Just less comforting for the control freaks out there.