No, you shouldn't let the Taiwan plane crash stop you from flying.

No, you shouldn’t let yesterday’s Taiwan plane crash stop you from flying. Here’s why.

The devastating news of the plane that crashed into a Taipei river began to consume the public’s consciousness yesterday. By this morning, the story was dominating online and television news coverage.

If you are one of the 40 percent of people who feel a bit panicky about flying, the spate of aviation incidents over the last few months probably haven’t been great for your confidence — and it’s likely yesterday’s tragic story is one you would have done anything to avoid hearing.

Related content: Read about the details of the Taiwan crash here.

But in the wake of yesterday’s tragedy, it’s particularly important to reflect on some important facts about flying.

While you may be tired of people telling you that flying is safer than driving, today you need to know this: Across all commercial airlines, accidents happen once in every 1.2 million flights.

Even if you are involved in a plane crash, it is very, very likely that you will survive – 95.7 percent of people involved in a plane crash do.

The odds that a person will die in a plane crash is just one in 11 million.

Related content: “For anyone who has to get on a plane this week.” 

But perhaps the most helpful guide is a visual one. Despite the high profile tragedies, in terms of the number of incidents, 2014 was actually one of the safest years to fly in a plane, ever, according to the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archive.

And if the trend in the stats is anything to go by, the safety of air travel will continue to get better and better.

This graph of plane crashes over the past 100 years is the only image you need to hold in your mind next time you fly. Read it carefully. Pass it on. Print it out and keep it in your wallet next time you board a plane, if you have to:

Just remember: The odds of anything terrible happening to you next time you step on a plane are very, very low.

So, no. You shouldn’t allow yesterday’s tragic accident stop you from flying.

What tips do you use to keep your flying anxiety in check?