As the never-ending onslaught of unprecedented events continues, the world is facing extreme temperatures and natural disasters at an accelerated rate. Floods have ravaged regions across the country, and one of the scariest places to be in a flash flood is in a car. Parts of Texas and New York were devastated by floods early last month, but in a rare bit of good news, General Motors’ OnStar services facilitated the rescue of multiple drivers caught in dangerous situations. OnStar has recently been in hot water for allegedly selling driver data, but its services can still potentially be lifesaving.
OnStar has a program called Crisis Mode that provides free emergency services to anyone in an OnStar-equipped GM vehicle in a region that’s experiencing a crisis. GM reports that its OnStar services directly supported a dozen successful rescue operations in the recent floods, and it answered over 4,000 crisis calls in total. In most cases, OnStar advisors directed drivers to safe evacuation routes and avoided dangerous routes, as well as offering free Wi-Fi support to allow owners to contact their loved ones.
Driving through flood waters is extremely risky; according to the National Weather Service, it can take as little as 12 inches of rushing water to sweep a vehicle away. Oftentimes, drivers will attempt to drive through flooded areas, and their car will die at a deep spot trapping them inside or stranding them on top of their vehicle. GM shared two anecdotes about how OnStar facilitated the rescue of two stranded parties — one disabled elderly couple in Texas, and a rideshare driver in New York who had a young couple and their three-month-old baby in the car.
Expert advice and counseling can be a lifesaver in times of crisis
The elderly Texas couple sent out an emergency call to OnStar when they got stuck in a flood in their vehicle, with water rising inside their car and their car moving in the current of the floodwater. OnStar emergency advisor Tiarra Duncan sent their precise location to local public safety teams and helped the couple stay safe until fire rescuers arrived to help them to safety.
The rideshare driver and their passengers got stranded in rising floodwaters under an overpass in New York and called OnStar for help. OnStar emergency advisor Barb Lucas kept the group calm while their team contacted local public safety and shared their precise location. Lucas instructed the group to evacuate the vehicle and walk to high water and was able to convince the reluctant rideshare driver to temporarily abandon their vehicle to get to safety. In order to avoid losing contact, Lucas called the driver’s cell phone to stay in contact, and once the floodwaters receded, she coordinated roadside assistance to retrieve the driver’s vehicle.
It’s admirable that GM offers free use of its various OnStar services to owners in times of crisis, and these latest disasters show what a beneficial resource it can be for some drivers. If your area is experiencing flooding, it’s still safest to avoid driving on flooded roads whenever possible to prevent life-threatening situations.
