Interestingly, while renewing my car insurance just now, I saw a different statistical basis for flying safety:
My records of driving and flying are both the best the insurers consider, for setting ratings. My 2009 VW diesel Jetta wagon is in the next to safest rate class (better than VW Jetta sedan, or Golf apparently!). It's insured value is about 3/4 of the insured value of my 1975 C 150M. I fly and drive these two nearly equal amounts each year. (My rating for "distance to work" is very favourable).
The insurance premium is more costly on the car than the plane, per value insured, both hull and liability. That means to me that the insurers must think that the risk of a claim is greater for the car than the plane. They obviously think flying my plane is a safer thing for me to do than driving my car. It's just statistics!