Eight in ten wouldn't hesitate to call 911 for someone badly hurt
Core finding
Nearly eight-in-ten Americans (79%) say they would feel no hesitation at all about calling 911 for an unconscious stranger who had been seriously hurt in a violent assault, according to a May 2026 Verasight survey of 496 U.S. adults.
Another 11% would be somewhat hesitant and 8% slightly hesitant, while smaller shares report being extremely (2%) or very hesitant (1%).
Topline distribution
Eight in ten wouldn't hesitate to call 911 for someone badly hurt.
If you were alone and came across an unconscious person (but alive) who had been seriously hurt by a violent assault, how hesitant would you be to call 911?
n = 496 · May 11, 2026 · MoE ±4.7%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | May 11, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 496 |
| Margin of error | ±4.7% |
| Module | politics |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26
If you were alone and came across an unconscious person (but alive) who had been seriously hurt by a violent assault, how hesitant would you be to call 911?
Cite this question
Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=496 US adults age 18+, +/- 4.7%.