Crime & Safety

Have A Medical Condition? Yellow Dot Helps

Putting a yellow dot sticker on the windshield of your car will help police and fire responders get information on your medical condition in case you get into an accident or need help. Here's how to register.

 

If you're injured in an auto crash, every minute counts to get you to medical treatment. 

To that end, the Park Ridge and Niles police and fire departments are participating in the Illinois Yellow Dot program, in which drivers can place a yellow dot sticker on the lower left of their rear windshields.

Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Morton Grove Police Department is not participating at this time, according to Commander Paul Yaras. 

If they are involved in a crash, the yellow dot will signal first responders that the driver and/or passengers may have a medical condition that will affect how they're treated by medical personnel.

Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Earlier:

When first responders see a yellow dot, they'll look for a yellow folder with medical information, which should be placed in the glove compartment.

“The Yellow Dot program can ...provide our first responders with the crucial medical information they need to more effectively treat injuries and ultimately save lives,” said Frank Kaminski, Park Ridge Chief of Police, in a statement. 

Steve Borkowski, Niles Fire Chief, indicated he was still waiting for more details from the program, which is organized the by Illinois Department of Transportation. Borkowski noted that crashes sometimes shatter windshields, and wondered about the on-scene logistics of whether responders would be able to see the yellow dots. 

Get Patch local news and info delivered in your email. It's free. 

However, Michael Zywanski, Park Ridge Fire Chief, said in a statement he hopes the Yellow Dot program will provide first responders with crucial medical information which can help the victims, who may be unable to communicate at the crash site.

The yellow folders in the glove compartment should contain the following medical information about the motorists: participant’s name, close-up photo, emergency contact information, patient’s physician information, medical conditions, recent surgeries, allergies and a list of current medications.

Having access to this information allows first responders to, quickly and more accurately, make important decisions regarding emergency treatment and serves to better prepare emergency hospital staff in the receiving room, the Park Ridge Fire Department said. 

To apply for a yellow dot decal and folder, visit one of the locations on the website, which include the Park Ridge Police Department and locations in Evanston and Wheeling. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.