Safety protocols were protocols on certain starships that prevented one from taking dangerous actions while navigating the ship. When activated, the vessel's on-board computer would simply disallow the dangerous action from being taken. Such protocols generally engaged in cases where an action would pose a direct risk to the pilot's health or safety, though they could be disengaged in cases where not taking such an action would present a greater risk.
The Whisper Bird, a Mu-class shuttle piloted by Lina and Milo Graf, was equipped with safety protocols. When the two found themselves surrounded by TIE fighters, they chose the risky action of jumping to hyperspace while in a planet's atmosphere, an action normally prevented by the safety protocols. They chose to disengage them and escaped.