Yes, benching with safeties is obviously ideal, but without them it's less dangerous than people are making it out to be.

The absolute best thing you can do to especially as a beginner to not fail a bench press set is to use a set/rep schema that doesn't involve going to failure. There are plenty of percentage base programs where you realistically shouldn't be brushing the upper end of your physical ability on any one set and you'll still make fantastic progress anyways because of the relative intensity and volume.

If you do happen to fail or drop the bar, it's very likely that you can just move it off of you with relatively little serious injury of any kind. People acting like they'll get pinned and die under a two plate loaded barbell are underestimating their own body.