Missouri may create database of drivers' emergency contacts

Emergency personnel responding to a motor vehicle accident that injures or kills a Missouri motorist could have an easier time reaching the victim's next of kin as soon as 2012.

That's the purpose of a bill that surfaced in the Missouri House on Monday, when a St. Ann Democrat discussed with other lawmakers the idea of developing a database of emergency contact information for all of the state's licensed drivers.

It would be optional for residents to provide an emergency contact, which Rep. Eileen McGeoghegan said drivers would be prompted for when they apply for or renew their Missouri license.

"I can't believe how many people think it's a great idea. I'm getting positive feedback," McGeoghegan said on a break from a session Wednesday.

The bill would require Missouri's driver licensing bureaus to set up the extra field in a database that already exists, McGeoghegan added, and would not entail setting up a new system.

"I want a zero fiscal note," said McGeoghegan, a freshman lawmaker.

This is the first bill McGeoghegan has introduced.

As the bill is currently written, only police, emergency responders and staff from Missouri's driver licensing agency would have access to the emergency contact information and the information wouldn't be considered an open record under the state's Sunshine Law. Still, McGeoghegan said, she's considering an amendment to widen the pool of responders that have access to the information.

North Scott County Ambulance District administrator Larry Chasteen said it would be helpful for paramedics because they may then have access to pertinent medical information about their patient. Chasteen said the contact may know if the patient takes a certain medication or has a history of an illness.

"If you've got an unconscious person or one who's unable to speak, you could go on there and find some basic health information on them -- maybe they're diabetic or have a history of seizures," Chasteen said. "You could make a much quicker diagnosis."

McGeoghegan said police and emergency responders would be able to access the database much like officers do when they run a license during a traffic stop.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Tim Hull, a public information officer with the agency, said he couldn't comment on whether the patrol supports or opposes the bill but that sometimes it's difficult to notify an accident victim's next of kin with only the information on their driver's license or possessions found in the vehicle.

A lot of times, he said, deputies have to go to the address listed on the license in order to find an emergency contact person. "There are no phone numbers or names of contact persons on that driver's license," Hull said. "It probably would have some benefit to be able to obtain that information a bit more quickly."

He wondered if out-of-state agencies would be able to access the database for a resident injured outside Missouri. McGeoghegan said that could be a possibility.

House Bill 854 will most likely be amended in committee next week, McGeoghegan said. If the legislation passes through the House and Senate, the state's driver licensing bureau would be required to implement the new field by the end of 2012.

ehevern@semissourian.com

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