In the moments following a crash or other emergency concerning your vehicle, the help that is received immediately afterwards can make a huge difference in how you recover. Because this time period is so important, the New York State Sheriff's Association has developed a program aimed at proving quick assistance to those injured in car accidents. Called the Yellow Dot Program, the goal is to alert medical responders of any important medical information. The documents are kept in the glove compartment, where responders can easily find them.
What can the Yellow Dot Program do for me?
By placing a Yellow Dot in the driver's side rear-window, first responders that arrive to your car will see that there is information in the glove compartment they should know about when they give you medical attention. This information can also be applied to any passengers that are regularly in the car, such as a spouse or children.
In order to participate in the Yellow Dot Program, you must:
- Request a Yellow Dot kit from the New York State Sheriff's Association
- Complete all information on the card in pencil so it can be updated as needed
- Attach a recent photo to the card
- Place in your glove compartment
- Complete additional cards for other passengers frequently in your car and attach recent photos
- Place the Yellow Dot decal on the bottom rear driver's side window
- Update the card annually or if any medical information changes
Not only is the Yellow Dot Program meant to benefit those in a serious accident, it can also benefit minor accidents as well. Anytime there is a shock in your life, you may forget to disclose information simply because of the stress of the situation. This program can lower the risk of error when emergency response workers respond to an accident.
The Yellow Dot decal can also be placed on your home if emergency responders attend to an emergency there. The rules for identifying information remain the same, but instead of placing the decal on a window, you would place it on the door to alert emergency response that there is important medical information located in a freezer bag in the kitchen freezer.
In the event of a personal injury, it is important that you receive the immediate medical attention you need. The Yellow Dot Program can help. For more information about the program, contact a personal injury attorney at DeLorenzo, Grasso & Dalmata.