Out of those 1700, about how many died while doing absolutely nothing wrong ?
(Nothing reasonable they could have done to avoid it)
With cars you have much more control over the risk you take.
When, where, how and which car you drive for example, or as passenger choice of whom you drive with or not.
With planes your only choice is which airline you fly with, and that should make no difference safety wise since they all have to play by the same rules/stick to the same regulations.
I think i won't remember 2017 as safest year ever, for me it is the year we came as close as possible to setting a new record (for most killed in one accident) without actually doing it.
(SFO, nearly landing on crowded taxiway, misssing the tail of the 1st in row by a hair)