A program that is growing across the country is helping car accident victims receive faster medical attention. The name of the program is the Yellow Dot program and it provides emergency service personnel with crucial medical information. The growth of the program has been spurred by the growing Baby Boomer population. While the program is not yet available in Pennsylvania, it is available in Pennsylvania's neighbor to the north, New York.

The Yellow Dot program is meant to assist car accident victims communicate with emergency response personnel during the first 60 minutes or golden hour of a crash. The first hour after a crash is so important because action taken during the time period can mean the difference between life and death.

Participation in the Yellow Dot program is free and individuals who participate receive a yellow dot that is placed in the rear window of their vehicle. The yellow dot alerts emergency responders to a correlating yellow folder placed in the glove compartment of the car. The yellow folder contains information on the driver's medical conditions and prescriptions and contains a photograph for identification purposes.

The program is especially helpful for older people who have a greater likelihood of having medical conditions and being on over-the-counter prescriptions. Safety advocates are in favor of the program and say the program is beneficial as emergency departments work to roll out automated crash notification systems in the future. The Yellow Dot program is currently available in nine states including Connecticut, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Alabama, New York and Virginia.

Source: USA Today, "Yellow Dot car program speeds help to crash victims," Larry Copeland, 5/24/11