Acrophobia Escorts

Acrophobia is an anxiety disorder that is defined as an “abnormally intense fear of being in high places.” Since the opening of the Delaware Memorial Bridge in 1962, motorists suffering from acrophobia have not been able to drive across the Bridge. To meet the needs of those suffering from acrophobia, a decision was made to provide an escort service, whereby police personnel would meet the acrophobic at the bridge approach, and drive their vehicle over the bridge. The transporting officer would then relinquish control of the vehicle to the acrophobic at a location where another officer could take the transporting officer back to his or her vehicle.

Acrophobics requesting an escort may contact the police communications center by calling (302) 571-6342 and pressing #1 for the police communications center or #3722 from their cellular phone. Acrophobics may also use the emergency phone call boxs that are located in the escort waiting areas. In either case, it is important you pull your vehicle off of the highway, well onto the shoulder to avoid being struck by passing vehicles to notify and await the arrival of the police.

Once the dispatcher receives the call, the request for the escort will be dispatched to an available officer. Please Note: An acrophobic is not considered a priority request for service and therefore may take a few minutes before an officer is available to respond. Once the officer arrives, he or she will present the acrophobic with a liability release that the acrophobic must sign before the officer is permitted to drive the vehicle across the bridge. After the vehicle is maneuvered off of the roadway to a safe location, the escort officer exits the vehicle, and travels back to his/ her patrol vehicle with the second officer. On occasion, the departments’ Public Service Aides (non-sworn employees) have been used to provide the escort.