In a way your are comparing apples to oranges unless you can choose between either mode of transport for the same trip. Trying to directly compare car and plane

In a way your are comparing apples to oranges unless you can choose between either mode of transport for the same trip. Trying to directly compare car and plane journeys doesn't really make sense. Cars vs buses vs suburban trains, or planes vs high-speed trains are better comparisons. For example, comparing the risk of flying or taking the Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka is a fair comparison. But you would probably not choose to drive that journey. Interestingly around 50% of car accidents occur within 5 miles of the individuals home which is barely double the length of an airport runway! Number of trips may be a better risk measure when comparing plane flights as most crashes occur on take off or landing. The actual distance traveled is probably irrelevant.