Transforming Communication Across Sectors
Our training brings clarity, safety, and efficiency to high-stakes industries worldwide.
Miscommunication from Accented English Costs Lives and Billions
- Over 80% of aviation incidents involve communication breakdowns (ICAO, 2010).
- Accented English is a leading cause, delaying readbacks and risking operational safety.
- Airlines lose $33 billion annually due to communication errors and reroutes (Flight Safety Foundation, 2018), with each minute of delay costing $72-$100 (FAA, 2018).
- This problem is only getting worse as global aviation is projected to double by 2040 (ICAO, 2019), bringing even more international pilots with diverse accents into daily operations.
Sources: ICAO, 2010 | Flight Safety Foundation, 2018 | FAA, 2018 | ICAO, 2019
Accented Misunderstandings Jeopardize Multi-Billion Dollar Space Missions
- Multinational space crews operate with diverse English accents, where a single misunderstood command can risk multi-billion-dollar missions (NASA, 2015).
- Astronaut training emphasizes accent clarity because communication errors during launches, docking, or EVAs can be catastrophic (Kanki et al., 2019).
- This risk is growing, with over 20 new multinational space missions planned annually (NASA, 2021), increasing the number of crews with varied accents and compounding operational hazards.
Sources: NASA, 2015 | Kanki, Helmreich, & Anca, 2019 | NASA, 2021
Accented English Risks Security and Mission Success
- NATO forces operate in 30+ languages (NATO, 2020).
- Accented English in joint missions leads to operational confusion and delayed decisions, compromising security.
- Coalition forces rely on rapid, accent-neutral communication for tactical success (Defense Language Institute, 2019).
Sources: NATO, 2020 | Defense Language Institute, 2019
Accented Miscommunication Costs the Trucking Industry Billions
- The trucking industry loses over $1.5 billion annually due to miscommunication delays (ATRI, 2018).
- Drivers with accented English struggle with dispatcher instructions and DOT compliance, increasing safety violations and accident risks (FMCSA, 2021).
- This problem is worsening as the US trucking workforce has become 40% more linguistically diverse over the past decade (American Trucking Associations, 2020), increasing daily risks.
Sources: ATRI, 2018 | FMCSA, 2021 | American Trucking Associations, 2020
Accented Speech Endangers Patients in Critical Situations
- 80% of medical errors involve miscommunication (The Joint Commission, 2015).
- Accented English adds confusion during high-stress handoffs and air medical transport, delaying treatment and threatening lives.
- This risk is escalating because by 2030, 30% of US healthcare workers will be foreign-born (Migration Policy Institute, 2022), leading to even greater accent diversity in critical care teams.
- Improving clarity can increase patient survival by up to 30% in critical transfers (Hilligoss & Cohen, 2011).
Sources: The Joint Commission, 2015 | Hilligoss & Cohen, 2011 | Migration Policy Institute, 2022