err on the side of sth

/ˈɜː ɒnðə sˈaɪd ɒv ˌɛstˌiːˈeɪtʃ/

/ˈɛɹ ɑːnðə sˈaɪd ʌv ˌɛstˌiːˈeɪtʃ/

[phrase]

to err on the side of sth

[PHRASE]

to act in a way that shows or uses something more than what is enough just to avoid any possible risk or problem

Examples

1. I think it's erring on the side of caution.

2. For decades, many have thought doctors should err on the side of caution by basically screening everyone for as many potentially dangerous cancers as they often as they can.

3. Too few mites or no mites at all doesn’t immediately harm the beetles, so you’d think that they’d err on the side of caution.

4. We chose to err on the side of caution when planning our investments.