Statistics belie plane truth in Croatia

Statistics tell us that flying is one of the safest modes of travel. Your chances of being killed in a plane hover around 1 in 11 million. The chances of being killed in a car are about 1 in 5,000. Maybe now we know why the disparity is so great.

On October 13th, as Tereza Batur, 21, was driving her Volkswagon Passat near Sinj, Croatia, a plane swooped out of the sky and struck the moving car. Reports differ as to whether the plane landed on top of the car or struck it from the side, but either way, we have a clear case of a pilot trying to boost the statistical safety advantage that planes enjoy over cars.

Actually, the Supercab plane was thrown off its route by high winds and ended up trying to land on the two lane road in lieu of the runway. Batur and her companion were unhurt and the pilot suffered minor head injuries. The accident destroyed both the plane and the car.

From the International Herald Tribune.