Los Angeles had 3,111 Good Samaritan calls in 2011, more than 1,200 ahead of the next major city, Chicago according to telematics provider OnStar in a survey just released.
A Good Samaritan call occurs when an OnStar subscriber contacts an OnStar advisor to report another motorist’s situation requiring emergency assistance because of a vehicle collision, flat tire or response to an Amber Alert.
Good Samaritan Day goes back to the 1964 murder of Catherine Genovese who attacked as she was about to enter her apartment. She cried out for help but none of the passing bystanders helped. The outrage over this prompted March 13th to be declared Good Samaritan Involvement Day.
Using anonymous subscriber interaction data, OnStar found that of the 10 largest U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Los Angeles had 3,111 Good Samaritan calls in 2011, more than 1,200 ahead of the next major city, Chicago.
“We received thousands Good Samaritan calls nationwide last year showing that OnStar-equipped vehicles provide an added level of safety and security for drivers, passengers and others out on the road,” said Joanne Finnorn, vice president of Subscriber Services.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
