[...] both of those modes of transport ship much more dangerous items: gasoline, tanks of oxygen and hydrogen, hazardous chemicals like sulfuric acid and even nuclear waste. Looking back through federal safety data, the group says there has not been a single accident caused by lithium batteries in the past 25 years. "While there have been notable instances in the past when rechargeable lithium batteries used in consumer electronics have overheated and caught fire, changes to battery design, chemistry and protective equipment built into battery packs appear to have greatly reduced the risk of 'thermal runaway,' " says Dan Hearsch, a director at global consulting firm AlixPartners.