# I called 911 on an erratic driver: does anything happen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 24, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-911-on-an-erratic-driver-does-anything-happen/811119 "2018-03-24T17:18:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-911-on-an-erratic-driver-does-anything-happen/811119/21 "2018-03-25T14:23:09Z")
Check with your state, you might have a number you can dial for highway emergencies such as impaired drivers, e.g. \*55 in Missouri or \*47 in Kansas. I know there are other states which use \*55. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-911-on-an-erratic-driver-does-anything-happen/811119/22 "2018-03-25T15:11:24Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Ohio’s DUI number has been around a while. I’m not sure every county even had 911 when they started it. And I imagine part of the idea was to advertise DUI as something so important to report that it had its very own phone number, which you wouldn’t even need a quarter to call. One of my hesitations about calling 911 was that my phone was in my briefcase on the floor and I didn’t want to be the shitty driver. I forgot that I was linked to Bluetooth AND have the BMW version of On Star (press a button and connect with operator who can call 911. Oh well). My fellow Jersey peeps: I found NJ’s secret number to report dangerous driving: #77 To add: PA wants drivers to call 911. I traverse between PA and NJ for work, so I’d call #77911 (hee). ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-911-on-an-erratic-driver-does-anything-happen/811119/23 "2018-03-25T16:06:08Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > My fellow Jersey peeps: I found NJ’s secret number to report dangerous driving: #77 That is kinda my issue with the separate number thing. I understand what Iggy was saying, but I worry people will see a drunk driver and be concerned about calling 911 because they know there’s another number they’re supposed to use, and worse, they don’t know what it is. I’ve had friends (and I think even people here) say I shouldn’t call 911 for this or that because it’s not an emergency. When I ask what I’m supposed to do, they tell me I should call the NE number. My reply is basically that if I’m driving down the freeway, I’m not going to try and figure out what jurisdiction would respond, look up their number on my phone (internet), then call that one and hope that whoever picks up the phone doesn’t transfer me, tell me to call somewhere another number, not have the ability to do anything about it, etc. An example: A few years ago I exited the freeway, at the end of the offramp I got to a red light. A little ways from the intersection was a cop with someone pulled over. After about 5 minutes, still at the red light, I called 911, told the dispatcher what was going on and got a very snotty “what am I supposed to do about it”. I explained that they needed to get a hold of the officer and have him turn of his red and blue lights because they’ve locked up the stop lights and traffic is backed up all the way on to the freeway, or, they need to send another officer out to direct traffic and get us moving again. Like I said, that’s one of those stories that gets me a ‘you should have called the NE number’. Maybe, but there was a potentially dangerous situation and I don’t want to spend time trying to find their number. TL;DR, you don’t need a secret number, just call 911. It’ll get the job done. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-911-on-an-erratic-driver-does-anything-happen/811119/24 "2018-03-25T20:39:54Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > My fellow Jersey peeps: I found NJ’s secret number to report dangerous driving: #77 Yeah, that’s the one I called. Also works for state police in Maryland & Virginia. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-911-on-an-erratic-driver-does-anything-happen/811119/25 "2018-03-25T21:13:53Z")
I called 911 (safely, from my hands free) to report two dangerous yahoos on the Yellowhead (Interstate Hwy, sort of). They were racing each other and my Dad (who was in the car in front of me) had to drive onto the shoulder to avoid a collision when they jerked into his lane. We were literally about 5kms outside of a tiny little farming community, and since the guy were speeding, i couldn’t see their cars anymore. I didn’t think anything would come of it. About three minutes later, I made out flashing lights in my rearview. RCMP intercept vehicle BLAZES past me. About 20k down the road, both cars, pulled over. Two RCMP vehicles (one from ahead and the one I saw). The cops called me back to let me know what happened (I guess we had a kinship, being uniforma). Well, along with the large fines, one of the guys had to leave his car due to an “unsafe” crack in the windshield. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2018, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-911-on-an-erratic-driver-does-anything-happen/811119/26 "2018-03-26T10:18:18Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > I don’t blame motorists for calling in reports, not knowing that someone else has already called in the matter. But I wish there was some sign that could be posted or sticker that could be put on a vehicle when a crashed car is left in a roadside ditch. (Yes, this has already been reported to 9-1-1!) We will get calls repeatedly for as long as it takes to get the car towed out of there, even if it takes a few days. We have such a thing in the UK. ‘Police Aware’ stickers. I see them around here all the time when someone has ended up in a ditch trying to avoid a deer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-called-911-on-an-erratic-driver-does-anything-happen/811119.md?page=1)