CAUTION

Runways More Dangerous Than Flying

Traffic control errors lead to collisions.

Airline passengers can rest easy once they’re 30,000 feet above land, but a new New York Times report reveals that most of the real danger exists before the plane even lifts off the runway. About 1,000 times a year—that's about three times a day—airplanes or other airport vehicles set out down a runway that wasn't properly cleared, putting all those on board in danger of a fatal collision with aircraft that had been cleared to taxi. Owing to the obvious need to curb the potential for such accidents, new ground radars that help air-traffic controllers view the runway better have been installed in 35 airports in just the past year.