If you are searching for an inexpensive gift this holiday season, how about considering one that will not cost you a penny? Why not give a gift that will provide your mom, dad, husband, wife and other loved ones peace of mind? Registering your Emergency Contact Information with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is an easy way to do both!
The Emergency Contact Information program allows licensed drivers and identification card holders to submit two contacts to notify in the event of an emergency, such as a vehicle crash. The information can then be accessed only in the case of an emergency by law enforcement officers to find designated contacts. The award-winning program is celebrating its most recent milestone as 4 million Floridians currently have their information registered.
“It is reassuring to see the number of ECI registrants climb, but with more than 15.5 million licensed drivers in Florida we still have a long way to go,” said DHSMV Executive Director Julie L. Jones. “Our goal is for all Florida drivers and ID card holders to register their Emergency Contact Information.”
Registration is quick and convenient. It can be completed in a state or a tax collector-operated driver license office or from the convenience of home or at work through the Internet at www.flhsmv.gov/eci. There is no cost to register your contact information.
The concept for the ECI program came about after the tragic death of Tiffiany Olson who died in a motorcycle crash in December five years ago. Law enforcement officials did not have any contact information to timely notify her mother Christine Olson of the crash that led to her daughter’s death. Christine Olson founded TIFF’s (To Inform Families First) Initiative, and with the help local lawmaker, State Rep. Bill Galvano, brought an idea to the Department to allow people to register and law enforcement to access emergency contacts so that other families might receive quick notification.
The ECI program began in 2006 and has garnered national recognition. Last year, the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University named the ECI program one of the nation’s top 50 most innovative government programs, and Gov. Charlie Crist proclaimed Oct. 3-9, 2010, Register Your Emergency Contact Information Week in Florida.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles provides highway safety and security through excellence in service, education and enforcement. The Department is leading the way to a safer Florida through the efficient and professional execution of its core mission: the issuance of driver licenses, vehicle tags and titles and operation of the Florida Highway Patrol. To learn more about DHSMV and the services offered, visit www.flhsmv.gov, follow us on Twitter at @FDHSMV or check out the Department’s Facebook page dedicated to ECI.
