Dollywood reminds riders: no phones on rides after iPhones dial 911 on roller coasters

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The iPhone 14′s crash detection feature is causing problems for some thrill-seekers; the phones are dialing 911 for users who ride roller coasters.

Apple’s newest phones come with a feature that automatically calls 911 when users are in car accidents. The phones can detect severe car crashes and, when they do, they prompt users with an option to call emergency services. If the phone’s owner doesn’t see the alert or does not dismiss it within 20 seconds, the phones automatically call 911.

That feature can be triggered by roller coasters, however, which has prompted Dollywood to offer new guidance to riders who bring their phones on rides. However, the park has had an existing policy asking phones not be taken on rides at all.

“Dollywood does have signs instructing riders to put their devices into airplane mode or to simply turn them off while riding some of our high-thrill attractions,” park representatives told WVLT News. “We work closely with our local authorities who suggested this may become an issue as smart device usage continues to increase. We wanted to assist them in preventing these unintended calls by making our guests aware their devices may inadvertently call emergency services during the rides.”

It’s a good idea to make sure your phone is on airplane mode while in line waiting for a ride, if you have an iPhone 14 or 14 Pro. Additionally, the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and Apple Watch Ultra also come with the feature if they’re running the latest watchOS.