As a fellow nervous traveler, I try to find information on this topic too. I'm usually laughed at by pilots or at least reassured that flying is extremely safe. And like, yeah, I know that there's only been one fatality in commercial aviation in the US in the last 10 years. Nor have the E145 or E175 seen any fatal accidents. But as others have said, safety is more nuanced than the total number of fatalities. My main concern is poor maintenance, as mechanics seem to be criminally underpaid ($16 per hour?!) at most regionals, especially considering the complexity and importance of the job.
Consider the following Indeed.com review from a former Envoy mechanic:
Poor management, poor culture and I would not fly the planes that go out of these hangers as they do not have safe practices for engine work. They put customers and workers at risk. If you will notice, this ad for this location runs every 6 months, which is the most end of the probation period.... not a coincidence.
Or perhaps this quote from a former Republic mechanic:
some of the mechanics that work on their planes should have their licenses revoked from the FAA. Wrong engine valves changed, Static wicks adhered to the a/c with double sided tape. Wrong slat temp sensor harnesses replaced.
And of course, Envoy and Republic are *good* companies. I hate to imagine the standards at some of the more questionable regionals.
Honest question - what should passengers make of comments like this? Disgruntled employee? Problem with safety culture at Envoy? Bad management at this particular hangar? What happens when maintenance is lacking because management wants to save a few bucks? Does the FAA actually have the capacity to crack down on all this stuff, or do they only have time to go after the worst offenders?