Google is making it easier for mobile search users to use vital phone numbers in emergency situations, with the addition of clickable emergency number links in related search results. Last year Google searches for terms like poison control and suicide began returning related emergency numbers above the usual list of web links. Now these numbers are getting click-to-call functionality, meaning mobile users will be able to touch the number and immediately be connected to relevant emergency services.
Google says this new feature is enabled for users in 14 countries, giving them access to local emergency numbers. This is a great addition to Google's mobile search, and one which could ultimately end up saving lives. It's easy to see how a few seconds saved by not entering a phone number could mean the difference between life and death in certain situations. [Google Mobile blog]
