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.
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.