Every year as NBC Sports Network airs the Tour de France and the Ironman World Championship you’ll see ads promoting a simple wrist band called Road ID. You may think that Road ID is for pro athletes who cycle for a living, but that myth is FALSE! Utah is home to an amazing landscape that gives us an outdoor playground to road bike, mountain bike, run, swim, climb, backpack, ski and much more. However, with such an arsenal of recreational activities available right in our backyard comes a risk. It’s human nature to think “I won’t be gone long enough for a problem” or “it won’t happen to me,” but the truth is accidents can and do happen each and every day. A bit of simple, advanced preparation will not only offer piece of mind – but might actually safe your life.
The Utah Department of Public Safety estimates that six deaths and over 850 accidents occur each year in Utah’s cycling community due to incidents between bicycles and motorized vehicles. However, it’s not just cars and trucks that can turn a great ride into a life or death situation. Recently a Riverton woman died after a flat tire sent her crashing into rocks alongside Redwood Road. It has been suspected that the metal leg of a construction sign may have caused the tire to deflate. In an instant such as that, an accurate ID will allow officials to contact your family immediately and may even save your life.
When you head out on a ride or run, do you carry your cell phone or driver’s license? What happens if your address isn’t current on your driver’s license or your cell phone runs low on battery power? That’s where the ingenious of Road ID comes in.
Road ID was started in 1999 by the father and son tandem of Mike and Edward Wimmer. At the time, Edward was training for his first marathon. Mike had suggested his son carry ID with him on each run, but that didn’t sink in until Edward was nearly side-swiped by a truck during a long run. A few months after that close call, the pair launched Road ID from Mike’s basement. The concept is simple. Road ID comes in a thin wrist or ankle band, dog tags or a shoe lace band. There’s even an ID available for your favorite four legged friend!
A variety of Road ID band sizes are available in two different versions:
• Original Road ID – provides emergency personnel with your name, city, state, country and three contacts
• Interactive Road ID – provides your name, city, state and country as well as the website, serial code and pin for your own updateable Emergency Response Profile (ERP)
The benefit to users of the Interactive Road ID is that your ERP is available to first responders 24 hours a day for 365 days a year and also contains your health insurance and medical information.
Different styles of Road ID can be viewed here.
Styles range from $15.99 to $29.99 for either version. The Interactive Road ID comes with a One-Year Free ERP Membership – additional years can be purchased for $9.99 per year (or $0.84 per month).
Are you still skeptical? If so, check out the company’s testimonial page here.
It’s common practice for corporations today to upload testimonials from satisfied clients, but this outdoor recreation company takes it a step further. On Road ID’s website you can sift through over 200 testimonials. Countless other success stories are available on Road ID’s Facebook Page.
Though we all hope to come home safely after enjoying Utah’s incredible recreational activities, in the event of an accident, identification may be a key to getting you back on the mountain, trail or road quicker. With a variety of styles and shapes, you may not find a simpler more effective identification product than Road ID.