State Unveils Life-Saving 'Yellow Dot' Program
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Illinois Department of Transportation is starting a new program to help paramedics who respond to car accidents to act more quickly - and more intelligently.
It's called the Yellow Dot program.
Drivers put a yellow dot sticker on their car and that's a sign to paramedics that medical and drug information about the driver - and others in the family - is in the glove compartment.
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Steve Gutzmer, a firefighter-paramedic with the Homewood Fire Department, says that kind of information would help - and he gave an example.
"An individual that had a low blood sugar episode while they were driving lost consciousness and got into an accident. At first glance, it would seem that they perhaps had a head injury, when in fact they had low blood sugar," he said. "Being able to at least suspect that immediately by seeing it on a card ... and that could apply to somebody that's 18 or 68."
IDOT says yellow dots - and forms to go in the glove compartment - are available through county health departments.
