Overdoses have surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in Hall County. Yet, national statistics show, fear of police is the most-cited reason for not seeking help in life-or-death overdose scenarios: Fewer than half of overdoses result in a call for help. “There are so many cases where someone is in trouble but the people with them wait until it is too late, when the person is no longer breathing,” said Dallas Gay, a Gainesville resident.