October 18, 2011 by onstarconnects
16-Year-Old Hydroplanes and Crashes the Family Truck
It was raining buckets when Jim and Susan Smolinski’s 16-year-old son Matthew was driving the family’s 2008 Chevy Silverado home after meeting friends at a concert. “We wanted him to take the truck because it was such a nasty night and his car was so much smaller,” says Susan.
“My husband and I had been at a funeral home that night, and we were exhausted,” she says. “We got home and had fallen asleep for about 10 minutes when the doorbell rang.”
Time stands still
It was every parent’s worst nightmare … two uniformed police officers stood outside their door. “My heart stopped. The first thing they said was Matthew’s OK, but he’s been in a bad accident. Only then did I start breathing again,” says Susan.
It had been raining for hours by the time her son drove home. Matthew, a nationally ranked all-state soccer player, had simply tried to change lanes but unknowingly entered an area that had flooded. The truck hydroplaned, hitting a light pole and then a utility box. It also took out the mailbox in front of a house.
“The door was crushed,” says Susan. “Matthew told us later that he was so scared. He was about to attempt to kick open the door when he heard the voice of the OnStar Advisor asking ‘Is everybody OK? This is OnStar. Is there anybody else in the car?’”
Help and a calming presence
OnStar Automatic Crash Response alerted the OnStar Advisor to Matthew’s accident. Automatic Crash Response allows OnStar to send immediate help to the exact location of an accident — even when the vehicle occupants can’t ask for it.
“Matthew really appreciated hearing that voice,” says Susan. “It was comforting for him to know that someone was there with him.” The Advisor was calm and told him not to worry, that someone would be right there.
“OnStar called the police and the Advisor was so reassuring and just kept talking to Matthew,” Susan added. “Everyone was so helpful,” she says. And the police were there in just minutes.
Matthew was taken to the hospital and checked out. She says it’s hard to believe that her son’s injuries were so minor, given the damage to the truck. He was able to play in a soccer game a few days later.
The Smolinskis are happy to be an OnStar family. “We’ve always had OnStar, and we’ve often used it for directions,” Susan adds. “But we had never had to use it for an accident. We have to give kudos to the OnStar team. They were right there when our son needed help, and they did exactly what they needed to do. We can’t thank them enough.”
Have you ever felt yourself hydroplaning? What happened, and how did you react? Let us know in the comments below.
