News outlets seem to focus on small plane crashes for reasons I've
never understood. When was the last time you saw an article in your
local paper about a car crash 100 miles away even though they occur
frequently?

The instrument rating will make your husband a much better pilot
because of the precision required in flying with instruments.

You can also form your own opinion about his attitude about safety.
If he's meticulous about planning and checking the aircraft before
flight, he will be ahead of the motorcycle odds. The major cause of
engine failure in small airplanes is running out of fuel, which is a
highly predictable event.