There’s no doubt that pocket dialing 911 can be a scary thing to experience. It’s not only embarrassing, but it can also waste police and fire resources when they show up on your doorstep for nothing. Fortunately, there are several precautions you can take to prevent your phone from accidentally calling 911.
One way to avoid accidental calls is to lock your screen with a password or pattern so it won’t wake up when touched by mistake while in your pocket. Another option is to turn off the Double Tap to Wake feature in Settings on your smartphone. This will only allow your phone to wake up when you press the Home button, which will help to reduce pocket dialing 911 calls.
You can also disable the Call with Side Button and Emergency SOS features in your iPhone’s Settings app. This will prevent you from accidentally triggering the emergency calling features by fumbling around with your phone in your pocket or purse. You can also buy a holster for your phone so that it’s secure in your pocket and can’t accidentally trigger the auto-calling options.
If you do accidentally misdial 911, don’t panic. Most dispatchers are used to it and can understand that you weren’t joking or in danger. Just explain to them your mistake and they’ll know you weren’t trying to prank them. Don’t hang up because that will force the dispatcher to call you back, which can make them think you are in danger.
