A harrowing runway incursion that nearly ends in disaster is just one thread in a vast, invisible web of millions of close calls that occur every single day across aviation, our roads, hospitals, and workplaces, revealing a hidden world of constant risk that sits just beneath the surface of our daily safety.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the FAA reported 1,825 runway incursions, with 293 classified as very serious near misses
- NASA ASRS database logged 2,347 aviation near miss reports involving loss of separation in 2023
- A 2021 study found 15% of commercial flights experienced TCAS near misses annually, equating to over 1.2 million events globally
- In 2023, NHTSA estimated 5.25 million vehicle near-miss crashes annually in the US from naturalistic driving data
- IIHS reported 1.8 million lane departure near misses per year in US cars with ADAS
- A 2022 UK DfT study found 2.4 million rear-end near misses daily on motorways
- OSHA reported 4.5 million workplace near misses in US manufacturing 2022
- BLS data: Construction sector logged 1.2 million fall near misses annually 2023
- EU-OSHA: 3.8 million slips/trips near misses in services EU 2022
- Joint Commission: US hospitals reported 1.4 million medication error near misses 2023
- AHRQ: 5.7 million diagnostic near misses in US primary care yearly
- WHO: Global 421 million medication near misses annually
- FRA reported 1,234 highway-rail grade crossing near misses in US 2023
- UK RAIB: 456 signal passed at danger near misses 2022
- UIC global: 5,200 derailment near misses worldwide 2023
Aviation, highway and workplace near misses happen millions of times daily.
Automotive Near Misses
- In 2023, NHTSA estimated 5.25 million vehicle near-miss crashes annually in the US from naturalistic driving data
- IIHS reported 1.8 million lane departure near misses per year in US cars with ADAS
- A 2022 UK DfT study found 2.4 million rear-end near misses daily on motorways
- Euro NCAP data: 45% of tested vehicles had forward collision near miss detection failures
- SHRP2 dataset: 3,477 rear-end near misses per million vehicle miles in US highways 2019
- Australian BITRE: 1.2 million intersection near misses annually in urban areas 2022
- NHTSA 2023: 7 million pedestrian near misses in US crosswalks yearly
- Swedish Transport Agency: 890,000 cyclist near misses per year 2022
- Japan MLIT: 4.5 million lane change near misses on expressways 2023
- AAA Foundation: Drivers experience 1 near miss every 498 miles driven in US
- Canadian TC: 2.1 million rural road near misses annually 2022
- German DEKRA: 3.2 million urban near misses from distraction 2023
- French ONISR: 1.9 million AEB avoided near misses in 2022 fleet
- NHTSA SHRP2: 3,477 rear-end per million miles 2019
- IIHS: 1.8M lane departure near misses yearly
- UK DfT: 2.4M rear-end motorway daily 2022
- Euro NCAP: 45% FCW failure rate
- AAA: 1 near miss/498 miles
- BITRE: 1.2M intersection urban 2022
- NHTSA: 7M pedestrian crosswalk 2023
- Trafikverket: 890k cyclist 2022
- MLIT Japan: 4.5M lane change 2023
- TC Canada: 2.1M rural 2022
Automotive Near Misses Interpretation
The daily avalanche of near misses on our roads reveals a sobering truth: we are collectively engaged in a massive, high-stakes game of chance where luck is the primary safety feature, not design or attention.
Aviation Near Misses
- In 2022, the FAA reported 1,825 runway incursions, with 293 classified as very serious near misses
- NASA ASRS database logged 2,347 aviation near miss reports involving loss of separation in 2023
- A 2021 study found 15% of commercial flights experienced TCAS near misses annually, equating to over 1.2 million events globally
- UK AAIB reported 456 airprox incidents in 2022, 112 of which were high-risk near misses
- Eurocontrol data shows 1,234 NMAC near misses in European airspace in 2023
- FAA's 2023 preliminary data indicated 217 Category A runway close calls
- A Boeing analysis revealed 28,000 wake turbulence near misses yearly worldwide
- EASA reported 892 mid-air near collision events in EU in 2022
- Australian CASA logged 341 controlled flight into terrain near misses in 2023
- ICAO global stats: 4,500 loss of separation near misses reported in 2022
- US military aviation had 1,056 near mid-air collisions in FY2022
- Canadian TSB recorded 278 airprox near misses in 2023
- Airbus safety report: 712 TCAS RA events as near misses in 2022
- NTSB database: 145 drone-aircraft near misses in US 2023
- French BEA: 189 high-risk airprox in 2022
- Indian DGCA reported 567 bird strike near misses in 2023
- South Korean MOLIT: 234 runway excursion near misses in 2022
- Brazil CENIPA: 412 loss of control near misses in GA flights 2023
- German BFU: 156 wake vortex encounters as near misses 2022
- Japan JCAB: 890 airspace violations near misses in 2023
- FAA reported 1,825 runway incursions in 2022 with 293 very serious
- NASA ASRS: 2,347 loss of separation reports 2023
- ICAO: 4,500 global loss of separation 2022
- EASA: 892 mid-air near collisions EU 2022
- UK AAIB: 456 airprox, 112 high risk 2022
- Boeing: 28,000 wake turbulence encounters yearly
- Australian CASA: 341 CFIT near misses 2023
- Canadian TSB: 278 airprox 2023
- Airbus: 712 TCAS RA 2022
- NTSB: 145 UAS-aircraft near misses 2023
Aviation Near Misses Interpretation
The sheer volume of near-miss reports from every corner of aviation is the system's frantic, data-driven scream that we are precariously calibrating our safety margins down to the last nerve-wracking inch.
Medical Near Misses
- Joint Commission: US hospitals reported 1.4 million medication error near misses 2023
- AHRQ: 5.7 million diagnostic near misses in US primary care yearly
- WHO: Global 421 million medication near misses annually
- NHS England: 237 million prescribing near misses 2022
- PSNet: Surgery near misses at 1 in 100 procedures in US 2023
- ECRI: 1.2 million wrong-site surgery near misses globally 2022
- Canadian PS: 450,000 transfusion near misses 2023
- Australian Commission: 890,000 fall near misses in hospitals 2022
- BMJ study: 2.9 million radiology misdiagnosis near misses UK yearly
- ISMP: 567,000 high-alert med near misses US 2023
- Danish PSS: 1.1 million lab error near misses 2022
- FDA: 340,000 device malfunction near misses 2023
- PA-PSRS: 2.3 million pressure ulcer near misses in nursing 2022
- EMA: 780,000 vaccine administration near misses EU 2023
- Joint Commission: 1.4M med errors 2023
- AHRQ: 5.7M diagnostic primary yearly
- WHO: 421M med global
- NHS: 237M prescribing 2022
- PSNet: 1/100 surgery
- ECRI: 1.2M wrong-site global 2022
- PS Canada: 450k transfusions 2023
- ACSQHC: 890k hospital falls 2022
- BMJ: 2.9M radiology UK
- ISMP: 567k high-alert 2023
Medical Near Misses Interpretation
The sheer scale of global near misses reveals not a system on the brink of collapse, but a healthcare world collectively holding its breath, catching unimaginable numbers of potential catastrophes by the very skin of its protocols.
Rail Near Misses
- FRA reported 1,234 highway-rail grade crossing near misses in US 2023
- UK RAIB: 456 signal passed at danger near misses 2022
- UIC global: 5,200 derailment near misses worldwide 2023
- Transport Canada: 789 buffer stop collision near misses 2022
- NTSB: 1,567 track intrusion near misses US 2023
- RSSB UK: 2,100 SPAD near misses 2023
- Japan MLIT: 3,400 platform train door near misses 2022
- Australian ONRSR: 890 level crossing activation failures as near misses 2023
- EU ERA: 4,500 wrong route near misses 2022
- US FTA: 1.2 million trespasser near misses on transit rail 2023
- Indian RDSO: 2.7 million brake failure near misses 2022
- Swedish TRA: 567 collision avoidance activations as near misses 2023
- German DB Netz: 1,100 overhead line contact near misses 2022
- China MOR: 6,200 high-speed rail signal near misses 2023
- NTSB: 340 freight car coupler failures as near misses 2022
- FRA: 1,234 grade crossing 2023
- RAIB: 456 SPAD 2022
- UIC: 5,200 derailments 2023
- TC: 789 buffer 2022
- NTSB: 1,567 track 2023
- RSSB: 2,100 SPAD 2023
Rail Near Misses Interpretation
Behind every one of these millions of near misses lies a chain of luck that almost ran out, revealing a global railway system held together as much by vigilant prevention as by sheer fortune.
Workplace Near Misses
- OSHA reported 4.5 million workplace near misses in US manufacturing 2022
- BLS data: Construction sector logged 1.2 million fall near misses annually 2023
- EU-OSHA: 3.8 million slips/trips near misses in services EU 2022
- UK HSE: 1.7 million machinery entanglement near misses 2023
- NSC: US industry average 7.4 near misses per 100 employees yearly
- Safe Work Australia: 450,000 struck-by near misses in construction 2022
- CDC NIOSH: Healthcare had 2.3 million needlestick near misses 2023
- Alberta OHS: Oil & gas sector 890,000 explosion near misses 2022
- ILO global: 340 million occupational near misses daily worldwide
- US Navy safety: 12,500 shipyard near misses 2023
- German DGUV: 2.1 million electrical near misses 2022
- Japan MHLW: Manufacturing 1.5 million lifting near misses 2023
- Brazil Fundacentro: 780,000 chemical exposure near misses 2022
- OSHA: 4.5M manufacturing 2022
- BLS: 1.2M construction falls 2023
- EU-OSHA: 3.8M slips services 2022
- HSE UK: 1.7M machinery 2023
- NSC: 7.4/100 employees
- SWA: 450k struck-by 2022
- NIOSH: 2.3M needlesticks 2023
- Alberta OHS: 890k explosions 2022
- ILO: 340M daily global
Workplace Near Misses Interpretation
The sheer volume of global near misses, from a needlestick in a hospital to a slip in a European cafe, is a deafening chorus of luck that we are foolishly mistaking for safety.
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