Gov. Tom Corbett Announces Two Programs Aimed at Saving Lives

Gov. Tom Corbett recently announced that the state Department of Transportation is launching two voluntary programs aimed at saving the lives of Pennsylvanians in emergency situations—the Yellow Dot and Emergency Contact Information programs.

“Both of these programs speak for people when they can’t speak for themselves, so medical concerns can be addressed and contacts can be reached as quickly as possible,” Corbett said in a release. "When someone is in a crash or they find themselves in an emergency situation, it’s critical that emergency responders quickly find out as much as they can about the victim.”

Participants in the Yellow Dot program fill out a form with their emergency contact, medical contact and medical information, insert it in the program’s folder and then place it in their vehicle’s glove compartment.

Participants then place a yellow dot sticker on their vehicle’s rear window.

This sticker alerts emergency responders to check a vehicle’s glove compartment for the folder, helping emergency responders provide specific care to participants after a crash.

The Emergency Contact Information program offers Pennsylvania driver’s license and PennDOT-issued ID holders the opportunity to log into a secure database and list two emergency contacts.

Customers can update the information as needed, but only law enforcement officials can view their information in the system. In the event of an emergency, law enforcement can use the participant’s ID to find their emergency contact information.

While the Yellow Dot program is utilized only in vehicle crashes, the Emergency Contact Information program is usable in other emergencies, too.

“I sincerely hope that people never have to use these programs once they’re signed up, but I’m pleased that Pennsylvania now has these tools available to help people when they’re in dire need,” Corbett said.

To learn more about the Yellow Dot program, to sign up for a program folder or to find locations where program materials can be picked up, visit www.YellowDot.pa.gov.

To sign up for the Emergency Contact Information program, visit www.dmv.state.pa.us and click on the program icon.