Cellphone - Critical for Highway Safety
Talking on your cellphone while you drive can certainly lead to distraction and accidents — but having a cellphone in your car can be very useful in an emergency situation.
In almost any state, you may dial 911 for emergencies, but due to the high volume of calls that 911 operators receive, in some cases it might be better to use the phone numbers listed below, particularly to report highway-safety related "non-emergencies." If you have difficulty reaching these numbers, you can always dial "0" to request help.
Some states have special cellphone-only numbers such as *SP (star 77) for State Police or *HP (star 47) for Highway Patrol, to report highway/vehicle related problems. You should use the numbers, below, only to report vehicle breakdowns/problems, accidents, hazardous material spills, or other highway hazards/problems, as well as impaired or aggressive/reckless drivers and other criminal behavior.
Use cellphones safely — be aware of laws which prohibit using cellphones while driving.
While we work to keep this list current, at any point in time, some of the listings (below) may be out of date. Before you travel, as part of your travel/itinerary planning, we'd urge you to check with the state public safety departments (or their websites) on your planned route for updated/current cellphone contact listings.
EXPANDED STATE-BY-STATE LISTINGS
Alabama Cellphone-only: *HP (star 47)
Alaska 911
Arizona 911
Arkansas 911 or Cellphone-only: *55 (star 55)
California 911
Colorado 911 or
Cellphone-only: *CSP (star 277) or
*DUI (star 384) —to report DUIs
Connecticut 911 or (800-443-6817)
Delaware 911
Florida 911 or 800-525-5555
or Cellphone-only: *FHP (star 347)
Georgia 911 or
Cellphone-only: *GSP (star 477)
Hawaii 911
Idaho 911 or
800-233-1212 or
Cellphone-only: *ISP (star 477)
Illinois 911 or
Cellphone-only: *999 (star 999)
Indiana 911
Iowa 911 or
800-555-HELP (800-555-4357)
Kansas
911 (Statewide) or
Cellphone-only:
*HP (star 47) for Salina, KS
*KTA (*482) —Kansas Turnpike and for Wichita, KS
Kentucky 911 or
800-222-5555
Louisiana 911
or Cellphone-only: *LHP (star 547)
Lake Ponchartrain Causeway: *27 (star 27 —cellphone-only) or 504-893-6250
Maine 911 or
Cellphone-only: *SP (star 77)
Maryland 911 or
Cellphone-only: #SP (pound 77)
Massachusetts Cellphones:
*MSP (star 677) —in the 413 areacode
*SP (star 77) —outside the 413 areacode
Michigan 911
Minnesota 911
Mississippi Cellphone only: *HP (star 47)
Missouri Cellphone-only: *55 (star 55) or
800-525-5555
Montana 911 (emergency only) or
800-525-5555 (non-emergency)
Nebraska 911 or
800-525-5555 or
Cellphone-only:*55 (star 55)
Nevada 911 or
Cellphone-only:*NHP (star 647)
New Hampshire 911 or
800-622-2394 or
Cellphone-only: *SP (star 77)
New Jersey 911 or
Cellphone-only: #77 (pound 77 —to report aggressive driving)
New Mexico 911 or 505-827-9301
New York 911
North Carolina Cellphone only: *HP (star 47)
or 800-662-7956
North Dakota 911
Ohio 911 or 800-525-5555 (OHP)
or 800-877-7PATROL (Ohio only, to report non-emergency safety concerns) or
800-GRAB-DUI (to report erratic driving)
Oklahoma Cellphone-only *55 (star 55)
Oregon 911
Pennsylvania 911 or
Cellphone-only: *11 (star 11) —on turnpikes
Rhode Island 911 or
Cellphone-only: *SP (star 77)
or 401-444-1069
South Carolina Cellphone only: *HP (star 47)
South Dakota 911
Tennessee Cellphone-only: *THP (star 847)
or 615-741-2060
Texas 911 or 800-525-5555 or
Cellphone-only: *DPS (star 377)
Utah 911 or
Cellphone-only: *11 (star 11)
Vermont 911 or
DWI Hotline: 800-GETADWI and
*DWI (star 394 —cellphone-only)
Virginia 911 or
Cellphone-only: #SP (pound 77)
U.S. Virgin Islands 911
Washington 911
West Virginia Cellphone-only: *SP (star 77)
Wisconsin 911
Wyoming Cellphone only: #HELP (pound 4357)
or 800-442-9090
When in doubt:
0 (zero) —Operator assistance
411 —local directory assistance
(area code) + 555-1212 —non-local directory assistance
MANY STATES 511 (for Road/Weather/Traffic Conditions)
511 —"America's Traveler Information Telephone Number", providing current road conditions & construction/closure information.
About half the states currently have working 511 systems statewide or in some cities/areas. Almost all states have received funding to set up 511 systems.
Click here to visit the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (NHWA) "511" webpage for a state-by-state map/listing of 511 systems.
Phone numbers for the map/chart (above) were acquired from various state law enforcement agency websites and other online government sources including the NHTSA's Programs Across the United States That Aid Motorists in the Reporting of Impaired Drivers to Law Enforcement, Final Report, March 2007.
Information Provided by:
The Police Notebook, Copyright © 2007,
the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma.
