accident waiting to happen

Attested 1930s.

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accident waiting to happen (plural accidents waiting to happen)

1. (idiomatic) A thing or situation which is almost certain to eventually lead to an accident.

   Someone needs to repair that worn-out old bridge. It's an accident waiting to happen!

   • 2020 October 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-1 Denmark: 'Harry Maguire looked devoid of confidence in Nations League loss'”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     Maguire looked totally devoid of confidence, a lost soul and an accident waiting to happen, which it eventually did.

• disaster waiting to happen
• waiting to happen

• court disaster
• -in-waiting
• time bomb
• trainwreck in slow motion