Police Advise Festivalgoers to Disable Crash Detection to Prevent False 999 Calls at Download Festival

Ahead of the Download Festival at Donington Park in Leicestershire, UK, Leicestershire Police have issued a warning to attendees about the risk of accidentally triggering emergency services while in mosh pits. During past festivals, the police observed a spike of nearly 700 unintended 999 calls. This surge is attributed to mobile phones and wearable devices, such as iPhones and Apple Watches, automatically detecting the high-intensity movements common in ‘mosh pits’ as collisions or accidents. These gadgets often include a crash detection feature, which is designed to call emergency services if it senses a serious impact. If not cancelled manually, the devices automatically contact 999 after a short countdown, even if no actual emergency has occurred. Police urge festivalgoers to switch off crash detection features, enable airplane mode, or respond to any callbacks from emergency services to confirm their safety. The warning aims to reduce strain on emergency call handlers and avoid diverting attention from genuine emergencies. Headline performers this weekend include Green Day, Sleep Token, and Korn. Some social media users joked about the warning, while others supported the effort to prevent false alarms.