After bicycle commuting for 4 years and owning an iPhone for 7 years, I just recently found out about the emergency contacts function that can be accessed from the lock screen. This function has to be set up for it to work. On the iPhone you do that in the Health app. (I'm sure Android phones have a similar function). You can enter several contacts, medical information and organ donor status. Medical personal are supposed to know to look for it.

IDK how this escaped me for so long. I did a quick search and found nothing, so I thought I'd make a post this in case I'm not the only one that missed it.

Thanks, SCRcat6. I didn't know about that function. In fact, I've completely ignored the Health app on my iPhone until just now.

I'm not sure how you're supposed to access it with the phone locked, so I hope whoever scrapes me off the side of the road someday does. I'd also like to know just in case I am the rescuer!

If you own a smart phone you're not that behind the times. I'm still using my flip phone.

I use a Road ID. I have an Android phone, but I am not sure sure if it has that feature. The Road ID seems like a better solution. There is a good possibility that your phone won't stay attached to you or remain operational in the event of an accident.

If you try to unlock the phone you see the "Touch ID or Enter Passcode" screen. At the bottom left there is "Emergency". If you tap it, it takes you to the "Emergency Call" screen. At the bottom left is "* Medical ID". Tap that, and you have access to your Medical ID information screen which includes your allergies, medical conditions, blood type, etc. as well as emergency contact info.

it's a lot of taps; they should have a Medical ID button directly on the lock screen.

Thanks for the reminder, I hadn't finished setting up the health info and emergency contacts for my iPhone.

I also ride with a tag. I bought a Road ID at one time, but quickly realized that I can get tags from pet vendors for a very small fraction of the price. So I have tags on my shoelaces and one on my neck. Name, ICE contact, blood type, organ donor.

I'm old school and don't assume that if I crash that my phone won't be biffed too. Little piece of paper in my saddle bag with ice info. Metallic sharpie wrote ice in bottom of bag lol. (My phones got ice info in it too).

Peace o/

Best to wear your ID around the neck.

On the lock screen "Emergency" should be on the bottom left

I always thought it would be kinda cool to get a toe tag tattoo. My sense of humor is morbid enough, I just don't know how much of my personal info I want out there for the world to see other than my name

further behind the times than you - no smart phone at all

I had filled out some info in the Health app but not the emergency contact, so thank you for that. I feel good that I just did this. I also filled in a few less important details.

Apparently you're not alone in being behind the times! I never knew my phone had that feature either, thanks for the tip! Hopefully I won't need it, or the phone survives the crash if I do.

Yes... it's a great feature and EMT's are very aware of it.

I think the E.M.T.'s are gonna look in your contacts for I.C.E. rather than going through a health ap.

I guess I remember this being in contacts or security before there was a health app.

If you don't lock your phone you can also create contacts that have "ICE" before the name.

Before any of these "emergency" tools are really useful, there needs to be an extremely standardized approach. First Responders cannot spend the time trying dozens of different approaches to try to find information.

I really think the dog tag is best. If you have complicated information then put instructions for recalling that information on the dog tag itself. If you really want to go fancy, put a small USB drive, with only emergency information, with the tags; however, it may not be looked at due to fear of an attack through the USB.

Even further behind the times over here. No cell phone of any type at all. Ever. I just never seen or had a need for one, and actually quite like being phone free. Uncommon nowadays, I know.

You're not that far behind. You're using a computer connected to the internet to participate in these forums. A smartphone is nothing more than a computer in a smaller package.

If your phone is locked they can't see your contacts. This lets them see your emergency info without unlocking your phone.

True of course. But you have to pay for it monthly, cart it around with you everywhere you go, making sure to not lose it,* make sure you keep it charged, and apparently as far as I can tell by what I actually see in the real world, must constantly be attentive to the contraption! <-- Sure, I realize one doesn't have to spend a great deal of their time face down in their phone with thumbs a clicking', but that's what I see all the time. No thanks.

*The reception desk at my workplace has a "How many days since a lost phone was turned in" sign. It's seldom that we make it a week!

Personally, I like technology and playing with gadgets. I work in IT and carrying a phone is required for my job, but smartphones also enable other technology such has smart homes. I hate texting and rarely do that, but I will receive texts from my home if the smoke alarm goes off or someone uses one of the guest codes on my front door.

I was a late adapter, talking and texting on the phone rank right up there with rubbing Icy-Hot on my nardels in my book.
On the other hand, GPS, camera, internet access, and many other apps whenever and wherever I want is very handy since my "office" is the cab of a semi.

I thought that emergency responders don't have the time to check people's phones, and as a matter of policy don't. And even if they did, there is no guarantee that the information there pertains to the injured person, who might be carrying someone else's device - with potentially disastrous implications. So, and I could be wrong, my understanding is that they completely ignore the phones at the scene of response.

I think it's a good idea to have this specific medical information handy, but not for that particular purpose.