Aviation isn't risk-free, but it's far from what the sensationalist media makes it out to be.
It's difficult to make an easy comparison between these different activities, but calculating for exposure, factoring in the number of vehicles operated, and figuring in the accident rate, flying a general aviation aircraft can be compared somewhat to riding a motorcycle. Though by eliminating the two top causes of general aviation accidents---running into terrain and fuel exhaustion---through simple common sense, aviation's accident rate drops to a level safer than driving. Aviation isn't risk-free, but it's far from what the sensationalist media makes it out to be. Ultimately, more people are injured falling out of bed than flying general aviation aircraft.