HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Alabama state police officials say adding emergency contact information to your driver's license could save precious minutes in a life-saving situation. ALEA posted a reminder for license and state ID holders to add this vital information via a quick visit to their website's Account Management page and clicking 'Update my Emergency Contact.'
"This feature began in 2019, however it appears that there are several citizens out there that are still not aware," said Cpl. Reginal King in a written statement.
ID holders will verify their license information to access the service. From there, they enter the name, phone number, and address of the person they wish to designate as emergency contact.
It's a process, King said, that takes less than five minutes to complete.
In the event of an emergency -- for example, a crash which left a driver incapacitated and unable to speak -- police and/or first responders would scan the driver's license and instantly retrieve the contact information.
With many smartphones and contact lists locked by biometrics, the database saves critical time in researching and attempts to notify others.
The feature was first activated in January 2019. Since then, local and state agencies have made multiple reminders about the importance of registering an emergency contact via printed notices and social media posts.
"We just encourage everyone to... take a few moments out of your day and enter an emergency contact person," said King.
Registering a contact does not require the ID holder to have a new license printed.