GM says OnStar calls don’t distract drivers

DETROIT—The recent and well-publicized crackdown on mobile-phone use and driver safety and the official launch of its “personal calling” service prompted OnStar to release last week what it claims is significant proof that using the OnStar system while driving a car does not contribute to serious traffic accidents.
As part of its “SenseAble” driving program, General Motors Corp. revealed findings of a study that monitored 8.1 million calls to OnStar call center advisers over the course of five years. GM said during that time, there were only two instances during which a driver on the phone to the call center was involved in a crash severe enough to deploy the air bag.
GM added there was “no evidence that the calls actively contributed to the crashes.”
Chet Huber, president of OnStar, said the company’s findings contradict the results of other research reports that have suggested using a wireless phone while driving poses a significant safety threat.
“We’ve seen a lot of research that has come out that would suggest there is no difference between using a handheld cell phone and a voice-activated hands-free cell phone,” said Huber. “Data has shown that there are significant advantages to having a hands-free phone.”
Huber emphasized the importance of the study because it is allegedly the first to analyze actual, not estimated, information about whether a crash occurred at the same time a mobile phone was in use.
The University of Utah released the results of a study two weeks ago that had 64 people respond to simulated traffic signals while either talking on a phone or listening to the radio or audio book. The study suggested that talking on either a handheld or hands-free mobile phone slows a driver’s response time and diverts attention more than any other distraction. Several other studies have made similar claims, but according to GM, are not as accurate because they have relied on small statistical samples and estimates.