Marianna Sellers

Fly Don’t Ride
Have you or someone you know ever been in a car wreck? Each year nearly 1.25 million people die in car crashes; plus 20-50 million people are injured or disabled from car crashes. Over half of all road crash deaths occur among young adults 15-44 years old. Nearly 400,000 people under the age of 25 die in car crashes, which is about 1,000 deaths per day. Flying in an airplane is more efficient and safer than driving in a car on road trips. For planes heavier than 5.7 tons, there were 34.9 million departures and 75 accidents worldwide with seven of these fatal for 182 fatalities, the lowest since 2013. Statistics not only have proven why plane flights are safer, but the plane rides have their advantages as well.
Do you know why planes travel faster than cars? Airplanes move faster because of the production of more thrust. Thrust is created by propellers, jet engines, and even rocket engines, whereas cars can only produce the standard amount of thrust from piston engines. An advantage of riding on an airplane you cannot do while driving is sleep. Being able to sleep on a flight allows you to be refreshed when you have reached your destination, but if you are driving a car, you have to stop and sleep in a hotel, which costs money and takes up time to get to your destination. In any and every vacation, a major factor is money. The national average airline roundtrip ticket price is $359 and the national average price of gas is $2.50 per gallon. If you add in hotel, food, and gas prices, both plane flights and car rides add up to around the same price.

A popular complaint about boarding airplanes is being rushed for time to get on the airplane. Being on a schedule is beneficial because it teaches time management. You would not be late for work, so why would you be late for your vacation? Many people today will not fly on airplanes because they are afraid of heights. Acrophobia is a fear of heights that stems from our natural fear of falling and being injured. To anyone who is afraid of flying, face your fears because we do not know how much time we have on Earth, so live out every day without any regrets.
Do you love going fast on the highway? Imagine going up to 575 miles per hour up in an airplane. During a takeoff, you are rushed with acceleration from the airplane. Going fast is not the only good thing during a takeoff because the best part of a takeoff is being able to go super fast and not get a speeding ticket. When a plane is speeding up in a takeoff, you will be thinking in your head faster, faster, faster. The rush of acceleration during a takeoff will excite you and will prepare you for the flight ahead.
When planning your next trip, remember that traveling to and from your destination is just as important as the actual vacation. Make the traveling fun while being safe. Soar into your next vacation by flying in an airplane. Remember the landing of your flight keeps you down to Earth. Traveling is meant to be exciting, so make the best of your trip by flying to and from your destinations. Choose to fly in an airplane on your next trip because the statistics on car crashes today do not lie. Do not let yourself or another person you know be the next victim of a fatal car crash.


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Works Cited
“AAA Gas Prices.” AAA Gas Prices, 2016, gasprices.aaa.com/. Accessed 29 Jan. 2020.

“Panish Shea & Boyle, LLP.” Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, 2018, www.psblaw.com/aviation_accident_statistics.html. Accessed 29 Jan. 2020.

“Road Safety Facts — Association for Safe International Road Travel.” Association for Safe International Road Travel, 2018, www.asirt.org/safe-travel/road-safety-facts/. Accessed 29 Jan. 2020.

Weir, Melanie. “How Much Airfare in the US Costs Today Compared to 10 Years Ago- Business Insider.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 4 Nov. 2019, www.businessinsider.com/fight-prices-airfare-average-cost-usa-2019-11. Accessed 29
Jan. 2020.