Did you know that many newer smartphones can automatically contact emergency services if they detect what they believe is a serious vehicle crash?

It’s a great safety feature, and when a real emergency occurs, it can help get responders on the way quickly. However, we’ve noticed a growing number of these alerts are being triggered when a phone falls from a moving vehicle after being left on a roof, hood, trunk, or truck bed.

In fact, the majority of automatic crash detection alerts we respond to end up being a phone that took an unexpected trip down the road rather than an actual motor vehicle collision.

While we will always respond to investigate these alerts, repeated false alarms can tie up emergency resources and make it more difficult to quickly identify when someone is truly in need of help.

Before driving away, take a moment to make sure your phone isn’t sitting on your vehicle. That simple check could prevent an unnecessary emergency response and help keep resources available for real emergencies.

As always, if your phone does accidentally trigger a crash alert, stay on the line with emergency dispatchers if possible and let them know you are okay.

A few extra seconds before you drive away can save a lot of time for everyone involved.