Florida Adds Emergency Contact Database

Shannon Weidemann

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Sometimes with a car accident or other emergency law enforcement have a hard time finding a family member to contact. The Florida Driver and Vehicle Information Database has now been changed so that anyone with a driver's license or state identification card can add an emergency contact person and phone number.

In the event that a resident is hurt or killed in a traffic crash or other accident, law enforcement can simply run the individual's driver's license number through the system and easily locate his or her next of kin or other designated contact person.

"It's probably one of the best tools given to law enforcement in a long time," Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Larry Coggins said of the addition to the system. "It's free. Anyone with a computer can access it. It takes about one minute to do it."

People can register their information simply by logging onto the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Web site at hsmv.state.fl.us. Once there, residents can click on "Emergency Contact Information" to be taken to the sign-up page.

Only those in law enforcement have access to the database. It is highly recommended that everyone in Florida add two contacts to their record. About 425,000 people have signed up so far.