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Off to vacation! But which is safer: flying or driving? Let's take a look at the micromort values, and the answer becomes clear. When driving, you risk one micromort per 370 kilometers, while flying only incurs one micromort per 12,000 kilometers. This clearly shows that flying is significantly safer. But what exactly are micromorts? Let’s dive deeper into this.

What are Micromorts?

A micromort is a statistical unit that quantifies the risk of death associated with a specific activity or situation. It corresponds to a probability of 1 in 1 million that a certain event will lead to death. This unit helps us compare the risks of various activities.

The danger of an action can be gauged by the number of micromorts attributed to it. For example, if an activity has 10 micromorts, it indicates a death risk of 1 in 100,000.

Thus, micromorts can serve as a decision-making aid. If an activity has a high number of micromorts, it’s riskier; if it has fewer, the risk of death is lower.

Examples of Micromort

• Driving a car: Driving a car is not without risks. On average, driving a distance of 370 kilometers corresponds to one micromort.

• Cigarette consumption: Smoking is associated with various health risks, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The consumption of 1.4 cigarettes equals one micromort.

• Living with a smoker for two months: Secondhand smoke is also risky. Exposure to smoke for two months while living with a smoker also corresponds to one micromort.

• One hour in a coal mine: The air in coal mines is polluted with dust and other harmful particles. One hour spent there equals one micromort.

• Scuba diving: A dive with equipment is approximately equivalent to eight micromorts.

• Skydiving: This high-adrenaline activity also comes with risks. In the USA, a single skydive corresponds to about seven micromorts.

• Running a marathon: Although running a marathon is an impressive athletic achievement, it carries physical risks. Running a marathon is roughly equivalent to twenty-six micromorts.

• Heart bypass surgery: While medically necessary, bypass surgeries are risky. Such an operation is rated at approximately 16,000 micromorts.

Micromort estimates are based on statistical data and are intended to be used as a guide and should not be considered absolute values. Individual risk may vary depending on a person's specific circumstances and should always be carefully evaluated. 

Please don’t view the values in this list as definitive. Over time, micromorts change as practices and safety standards evolve. Therefore, the data reflects only the current status at the time of this article's publication and the database used.

Closing Words

Micromorts thus illustrate how risky certain activities can be. In some contexts, such as when trying out new sports, they can be quite helpful for assessing risks in my opinion.