Driver's License Changes

A common piece of identification is a driver's license.  Beneficial additions should be made to the drivers's license that could save lives:

1. Indicate license holder's blood type.  This would aid in a worse case scenario of minimizing shock and aiding the medical community.

2. Indicate any severe allergies or medicines taken regularly.  Examples of this are allergies to drugs like penicillin or being on blood thinners.  This information would help clarify treatment protocols. 

I implore our local representatives to the state house and senate to submit this as proposed legislation.  This information must be voluntary.  The current Massachusetts license has a spot indicating if you are an organ donor in the lower right.  There is no reason, within reasonable software costs, similar spots couldn't be used to indicate the proposed information.

Given recent news about 'data mining', concerns about identification on the driver's license being abused is moot, since the horse has left the barn when the barn door were left open. 

Remember the Commonwealth will not inform you if your license is approaching the renewal date.  Check your license.  Also, get a state issued license number in lieu of your Social Security number.  

As a final note, for those of us who remember where we were when we heard JFK was assassinated, which will generate print space as we approach the 50th 'anniversary',  we can only laugh at the privacy concerns as our issued Social Security cards indicate 'Not for Identification' and the same number is used for Medicare accounts.  If Congress was serious about privacy issues, it would take immediate action on the number used to identify Medicare accounts.