The OnStar Guardian App proves invaluable to a college student following a crash near campus.

When OnStar Member Brian Rhode received an email about the launch of the OnStar Guardian® app,* he thought it made sense to download it and share it with his family. (You can share the app with up to 7 loved ones,* effectively providing Members with 7-for-1 family OnStar discounts.)

The Guardian app provides added confidence and peace of mind right from the palm of your hand, pocket or even backpack. It gives users access to key OnStar safety services wherever they go, even if they’re not riding in a GM vehicle. These include Emergency Services, so you can contact an OnStar Emergency Advisor as well as Roadside Assistance, which allows you to request assistance if you’re locked out your vehicle, have a flat tire or dead battery, or need fuel delivered for an empty tank.

“I especially wanted to make sure my son downloaded the app since he’s 4½ hours away at a university in Grand Rapids, Michigan,” says Brian, who lives in Noblesville, Indiana. “Evan doesn’t have a car out there, but I know he’s out with his friends in a new town, so I wasn’t sure what they would do if they were to get into some kind of car trouble.”

Brian’s concern became a reality only two weeks after Evan downloaded the Guardian app. The 19-year-old and his friends were heading back to campus from bowling when another driver ran a red light and broadsided their car. As Evan checked to make sure his friends were all right, his phone rang. He missed the first call, but his phone rang again. When he picked up, the voice of an OnStar Advisor was on the other end; the crash had triggered the Guardian app’s Mobile Crash Response. “I understand you were in a crash,” the Advisor said to Evan. “Is everyone OK?” Once Evan assured the Advisor there were no serious injuries, he was then connected to the local emergency dispatch.

“It was very comforting to know that I wouldn’t have to be the one that has to call 911 and that OnStar was taking care of everything for me,” Evan says. “I had never been in a car crash where I’ve had to call police or the ambulance, so I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

The Mobile Crash Response feature uses a smartphone’s sensors to detect a crash and alert an OnStar Emergency Advisor. They can then call you, contact First Responders and provide emergency assistance until help arrives.

An ambulance driving nearby had witnessed the crash and was able to come to the aid of Evan and his friends immediately, and police were on the scene within minutes.

Meanwhile in Noblesville, Brian and his wife were going about their day when they were notified by OnStar that Evan had been in a crash. Shortly after, the two received a text from their son. “Evan texted us to let us know that he and his friends were in a crash and that they were OK,” Brian says.

“I was so impressed with the Guardian app and that it was able to do what it did to help my son out, even though it’s on a phone and not connected to the actual car,” Brian says. That’s why he believes downloading the app and sharing it was quite the bonus. “It was especially helpful for my wife because it gave her that added sense of security that even though Evan is hours away, someone is always watching out for him.”