## Safety
The United States is a large and diverse country, so safety conditions vary widely by **state, city, neighborhood, and time of day**.
### Emergency numbers
- **911** — primary emergency number for police, fire, and ambulance throughout the United States. - **988** — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for mental health crisis support. - In some communities, **311** is used for non-emergency municipal services.
### General safety overview
- Major urban areas may experience higher rates of certain crimes such as theft, burglary, car break-ins, and assault in specific districts. - Suburban and rural areas often report lower overall crime levels, though risks can still include drug-related crime, domestic violence, property crime, and traffic incidents. - Weather and natural hazards are important safety concerns in many parts of the U.S., including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, winter storms, heat waves, and earthquakes.
### Safety tips for visitors
- Use normal urban awareness in busy downtowns, nightlife areas, and transit hubs. - Do not leave valuables visible in parked cars. - Follow local guidance for wildfire, storm, flood, and heat advisories. - In national parks and wilderness areas, prepare for terrain, wildlife, and changing weather. - Respect private property and local laws, which may differ by state. - Check neighborhood-specific conditions when booking accommodation in large cities.
### Transportation safety
- Road travel is central to daily life in much of the country; seat belt laws and traffic enforcement are standard. - Pedestrian conditions vary widely between cities. - Public transit safety also varies by system and route. - Winter driving, mountain roads, desert heat, and long-distance travel require regional caution.
### Public safety institutions
| Service | Typical structure | |---|---| | Police | Municipal police, county sheriffs, state police/highway patrol, tribal police, federal agencies | | Fire | Municipal fire departments, county departments, volunteer fire services in some areas | | Emergency medical services | Fire-based EMS, third-service EMS, hospital-based or private ambulance systems | | Disaster response | FEMA, state emergency management, National Weather Service, local agencies |
### Common local risks by region
- **Atlantic and Gulf coasts**: hurricanes, flooding, storm surge - **Midwest and Plains**: tornadoes, severe thunderstorms - **West**: earthquakes, drought, wildfires - **North**: snowstorms, ice, extreme cold - **Southwest**: heat, water scarcity, flash floods
### Practical advice
- Save emergency alerts on your phone. - Know the nearest urgent care or hospital when traveling. - Monitor the National Weather Service during severe weather. - For crime data, check FBI, state, or city police dashboards because conditions can differ sharply between places.