A safety catheter comprising: a catheter including a catheter tube and a catheter hub; a catheter insertion device including an insertion needle and a tip protector assembly that is operably connected to the insertion needle, the insertion needle having a sharp tip, a proximal end and a needle transition on the body of the needle and spaced from the sharp tip by a transition distance, the tip protector assembly having an inner member, an outer member, a retainer, and a collar, with the inner member being movable between a distal inner member position and a proximal inner member position relative to the outer member and the retainer being movable between a distal retainer position and a proximal retainer position relative to the collar, the tip protector assembly movable between three operating positions including a ready position, a safe position, and a release position, wherein in the ready position, at least a portion of the insertion needle is positioned inside of the catheter tube, the inner member being in the distal inner member position relative to the outer member, the retainer being in the distal retainer position relative to the collar with the retainer and collar engaging the catheter hub to prevent release of the catheter hub from the catheter insertion device; wherein in the safe position, the inner member is in the proximal inner member position relative to the outer member with the sharp tip of the insertion needle positioned internally to the tip protector assembly, the retainer being in the distal retainer position relative to the collar with the retainer and collar engaging the catheter hub to prevent release of the catheter hub from the catheter insertion device; and wherein in the release position, the inner member is in the proximal inner member position relative to the outer member with the sharp tip of the insertion needle positioned internally to the tip protector assembly and the retainer being in the proximal retainer position relative to the collar to enable release of the catheter hub from the catheter insertion device. a catheter including a catheter tube and a catheter hub; a catheter insertion device including an insertion needle and a tip protector assembly that is operably connected to the insertion needle, the insertion needle having a sharp tip, a proximal end and a needle transition on the body of the needle and spaced from the sharp tip by a transition distance, the tip protector assembly having an inner member, an outer member, a retainer, and a collar, with the inner member being movable between a distal inner member position and a proximal inner member position relative to the outer member and the retainer being movable between a distal retainer position and a proximal retainer position relative to the collar, the tip protector assembly movable between three operating positions including a ready position, a safe position, and a release position, wherein in the ready position, at least a portion of the insertion needle is positioned inside of the catheter tube, the inner member being in the distal inner member position relative to the outer member, the retainer being in the distal retainer position relative to the collar with the retainer and collar engaging the catheter hub to prevent release of the catheter hub from the catheter insertion device; wherein in the safe position, the inner member is in the proximal inner member position relative to the outer member with the sharp tip of the insertion needle positioned internally to the tip protector assembly, the retainer being in the distal retainer position relative to the collar with the retainer and collar engaging the catheter hub to prevent release of the catheter hub from the catheter insertion device; and wherein in the release position, the inner member is in the proximal inner member position relative to the outer member with the sharp tip of the insertion needle positioned internally to the tip protector assembly and the retainer being in the proximal retainer position relative to the collar to enable release of the catheter hub from the catheter insertion device.