The Close Call Data Program (CCDP) is a confidential, voluntary collection of precursor safety data, such as near-miss or close call data. A close call is an accident that could have happened but did not. If ignored, close calls can lead to serious consequences. CCDP’s goal is to improve safety by learning from near-miss or close call incidents and unsafe conditions. CCDP identifies the root causes of close calls and develops preventative measures or corrective actions that, when implemented, can reduce the risk of a serious accident. Ultimately, the goal is to develop a safety culture in which safety critical data can be reported confidentially without the threat of administrative discipline. BTS protects data and information collected under the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002, which established uniform confidentiality provisions for the disclosure and use of data for statistical purposes.

BTS operates CCDP under agreements with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), allowing employees in the transportation and energy sectors to report confidentially on close call events without the fear of disciplinary action. Based on knowledge gained from employee close call reports, WMATA has implemented a number of preventative safety actions aimed at making movements of heavy equipment safer and improving overall safety while performing various tasks on the track system by strengthening the employee training program, by supporting more thorough recordkeeping, and by enforcing stronger compliance with established procedures.