American roads see over 2.4 million rear-end near misses daily. The US records more than five million annual vehicle near misses, while global healthcare systems intercept hundreds of millions of potential medication errors.
Key Takeaways
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
From cars to hospitals and workplaces, millions of near misses happen every year.
Related reading
01 · Category
Automotive Near Misses23 stats
01
In 2023, NHTSA estimated 5.25 million vehicle near-miss crashes annually in the US from naturalistic driving data
02
IIHS reported 1.8 million lane departure near misses per year in US cars with ADAS
03
A 2022 UK DfT study found 2.4 million rear-end near misses daily on motorways
04
Euro NCAP data: 45% of tested vehicles had forward collision near miss detection failures
05
SHRP2 dataset: 3,477 rear-end near misses per million vehicle miles in US highways 2019
06
Australian BITRE: 1.2 million intersection near misses annually in urban areas 2022
07
NHTSA 2023: 7 million pedestrian near misses in US crosswalks yearly
08
Swedish Transport Agency: 890,000 cyclist near misses per year 2022
09
Japan MLIT: 4.5 million lane change near misses on expressways 2023
10
AAA Foundation: Drivers experience 1 near miss every 498 miles driven in US
11
Canadian TC: 2.1 million rural road near misses annually 2022
12
German DEKRA: 3.2 million urban near misses from distraction 2023
13
French ONISR: 1.9 million AEB avoided near misses in 2022 fleet
14
NHTSA SHRP2: 3,477 rear-end per million miles 2019
15
IIHS: 1.8M lane departure near misses yearly
16
UK DfT: 2.4M rear-end motorway daily 2022
17
Euro NCAP: 45% FCW failure rate
18
AAA: 1 near miss/498 miles
19
BITRE: 1.2M intersection urban 2022
20
NHTSA: 7M pedestrian crosswalk 2023
21
Trafikverket: 890k cyclist 2022
22
MLIT Japan: 4.5M lane change 2023
23
TC Canada: 2.1M rural 2022
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Aviation Near Misses30 stats
01
In 2022, the FAA reported 1,825 runway incursions, with 293 classified as very serious near misses
02
NASA ASRS database logged 2,347 aviation near miss reports involving loss of separation in 2023
03
A 2021 study found 15% of commercial flights experienced TCAS near misses annually, equating to over 1.2 million events globally
04
UK AAIB reported 456 airprox incidents in 2022, 112 of which were high-risk near misses
05
Eurocontrol data shows 1,234 NMAC near misses in European airspace in 2023
06
FAA's 2023 preliminary data indicated 217 Category A runway close calls
07
A Boeing analysis revealed 28,000 wake turbulence near misses yearly worldwide
08
EASA reported 892 mid-air near collision events in EU in 2022
09
Australian CASA logged 341 controlled flight into terrain near misses in 2023
10
ICAO global stats: 4,500 loss of separation near misses reported in 2022
11
US military aviation had 1,056 near mid-air collisions in FY2022
12
Canadian TSB recorded 278 airprox near misses in 2023
13
Airbus safety report: 712 TCAS RA events as near misses in 2022
14
NTSB database: 145 drone-aircraft near misses in US 2023
15
French BEA: 189 high-risk airprox in 2022
16
Indian DGCA reported 567 bird strike near misses in 2023
17
South Korean MOLIT: 234 runway excursion near misses in 2022
18
Brazil CENIPA: 412 loss of control near misses in GA flights 2023
19
German BFU: 156 wake vortex encounters as near misses 2022
20
Japan JCAB: 890 airspace violations near misses in 2023
21
FAA reported 1,825 runway incursions in 2022 with 293 very serious
22
NASA ASRS: 2,347 loss of separation reports 2023
23
ICAO: 4,500 global loss of separation 2022
24
EASA: 892 mid-air near collisions EU 2022
25
UK AAIB: 456 airprox, 112 high risk 2022
26
Boeing: 28,000 wake turbulence encounters yearly
27
Australian CASA: 341 CFIT near misses 2023
28
Canadian TSB: 278 airprox 2023
29
Airbus: 712 TCAS RA 2022
30
NTSB: 145 UAS-aircraft near misses 2023
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Medical Near Misses24 stats
01
Joint Commission: US hospitals reported 1.4 million medication error near misses 2023
02
AHRQ: 5.7 million diagnostic near misses in US primary care yearly
03
WHO: Global 421 million medication near misses annually
04
NHS England: 237 million prescribing near misses 2022
05
PSNet: Surgery near misses at 1 in 100 procedures in US 2023
06
ECRI: 1.2 million wrong-site surgery near misses globally 2022
07
Canadian PS: 450,000 transfusion near misses 2023
08
Australian Commission: 890,000 fall near misses in hospitals 2022
09
BMJ study: 2.9 million radiology misdiagnosis near misses UK yearly
10
ISMP: 567,000 high-alert med near misses US 2023
11
Danish PSS: 1.1 million lab error near misses 2022
12
FDA: 340,000 device malfunction near misses 2023
13
PA-PSRS: 2.3 million pressure ulcer near misses in nursing 2022
14
EMA: 780,000 vaccine administration near misses EU 2023
15
Joint Commission: 1.4M med errors 2023
16
AHRQ: 5.7M diagnostic primary yearly
17
WHO: 421M med global
18
NHS: 237M prescribing 2022
19
PSNet: 1/100 surgery
20
ECRI: 1.2M wrong-site global 2022
21
PS Canada: 450k transfusions 2023
22
ACSQHC: 890k hospital falls 2022
23
BMJ: 2.9M radiology UK
24
ISMP: 567k high-alert 2023
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Rail Near Misses21 stats
01
FRA reported 1,234 highway-rail grade crossing near misses in US 2023
02
UK RAIB: 456 signal passed at danger near misses 2022
03
UIC global: 5,200 derailment near misses worldwide 2023
04
Transport Canada: 789 buffer stop collision near misses 2022
05
NTSB: 1,567 track intrusion near misses US 2023
06
RSSB UK: 2,100 SPAD near misses 2023
07
Japan MLIT: 3,400 platform train door near misses 2022
08
Australian ONRSR: 890 level crossing activation failures as near misses 2023
09
EU ERA: 4,500 wrong route near misses 2022
10
US FTA: 1.2 million trespasser near misses on transit rail 2023
11
Indian RDSO: 2.7 million brake failure near misses 2022
12
Swedish TRA: 567 collision avoidance activations as near misses 2023
13
German DB Netz: 1,100 overhead line contact near misses 2022
14
China MOR: 6,200 high-speed rail signal near misses 2023
15
NTSB: 340 freight car coupler failures as near misses 2022
16
FRA: 1,234 grade crossing 2023
17
RAIB: 456 SPAD 2022
18
UIC: 5,200 derailments 2023
19
TC: 789 buffer 2022
20
NTSB: 1,567 track 2023
21
RSSB: 2,100 SPAD 2023
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Workplace Near Misses22 stats
01
OSHA reported 4.5 million workplace near misses in US manufacturing 2022
02
BLS data: Construction sector logged 1.2 million fall near misses annually 2023
03
EU-OSHA: 3.8 million slips/trips near misses in services EU 2022
04
UK HSE: 1.7 million machinery entanglement near misses 2023
05
NSC: US industry average 7.4 near misses per 100 employees yearly
06
Safe Work Australia: 450,000 struck-by near misses in construction 2022
07
CDC NIOSH: Healthcare had 2.3 million needlestick near misses 2023
08
Alberta OHS: Oil & gas sector 890,000 explosion near misses 2022
09
ILO global: 340 million occupational near misses daily worldwide
10
US Navy safety: 12,500 shipyard near misses 2023
11
German DGUV: 2.1 million electrical near misses 2022
12
Japan MHLW: Manufacturing 1.5 million lifting near misses 2023
13
Brazil Fundacentro: 780,000 chemical exposure near misses 2022
14
OSHA: 4.5M manufacturing 2022
15
BLS: 1.2M construction falls 2023
16
EU-OSHA: 3.8M slips services 2022
17
HSE UK: 1.7M machinery 2023
18
NSC: 7.4/100 employees
19
SWA: 450k struck-by 2022
20
NIOSH: 2.3M needlesticks 2023
21
Alberta OHS: 890k explosions 2022
22
ILO: 340M daily global
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Elena Vasquez. (2026, February 13). Near Miss Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/near-miss-statistics
MLA
Elena Vasquez. "Near Miss Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/near-miss-statistics.
Chicago
Elena Vasquez. 2026. "Near Miss Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/near-miss-statistics.
Sources & references
73 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level