The Florida Highway Patrol has made it possible for people to provide contact information to be used by any law enforcement officer in case of emergency.
The new program started in October and works like an advance directive for medical care. You prepare it before it’s needed, and then if it is, there’s no delay.
The information you provide in advance gives the law enforcement officer immediate access to the names, addresses and telephone numbers of your first two emergency contacts simply by typing your driver’s license number into the law enforcement computer network.
Here’s how it works. You put your information on https://www6.hsmv.state.fl.us/dlcheck/findcustomer where you’ll find a screen titled Emergency Contact Information. It’s easy – it leads you right through.
According to Larry Coggins, spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, there is no way to do this except online because the system is specifically designed to ensure the information is secure in the law enforcement network. Because it is a government site, people who do not have a home computer may readily access it at any public school or library or at their nearest community center.
I’m one of the people who does just about everything possible online, from shopping for that hard-to-find household item to banking and bill paying (I even bought my Key West-style living room blinds online and got the right size).
So for me, it’s a win-win situation. I feel more secure knowing the information is available to law enforcement officers in case it’s needed. I don’t choose to worry about online fraud, identity theft or any of the other reasons some people won’t put their personal information on line.
As the world becomes smaller and technology more a part of everyday life, I figure the risks are minimal when placed next to the benefits.
And I know if I’m incapacitated, I want my family to know.

Penny Fletcher is the editor of The Sun, a weekly Tribune/TBO.com affiliate