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THE KEY TO WOMEN’S SAFETY

Fashionable oversized handbags leave female motorists at risk when searching for their car keys, until now…

Wednesday, 9th September 2009: Trendy supersized handbags are fast becoming a threat to the safety and peace of mind of millions of female motorists, according to new research(1) out today.

The findings reveal that women are becoming increasingly distracted and exposed to crime, spending on average 416 hours in their lifetime (or two and a half weeks)(2) rifling through their handbags in search of ‘buried’ car keys. A third (33 per cent) of female motorists polled also claim to feel panicked and anxious about not being able to locate their keys quickly enough when close to their cars - particularly when returning to them alone or at night.

With these concerns in mind, Sheilas’ Wheels car insurance has produced a geniune safety solution that doesn’t compromise on style - a car key that masquerades as a wearable cocktail ring, meaning that the driver’s key is always safe and reassuringly to hand.

The Sheilas’ Wheels KeyRing(3) allows the wearer to lock and unlock a car door simply by pressing the ring’s gemstone. Once safely inside their cars, women can then lock the doors and search for their standard car keys, allowing them to start the engine and drive away without the risk of feeling anxious or stressed at the wheel – potentially another risk to driving safety.

The research, conducted by Sheilas’ Wheels, estimates that over 2.2 million(4) female motorists (12 per cent) have either had their bag or its contents stolen when distracted, and over a third (37 per cent) of those women polled often feel vulnerable to crime when searching through their handbags for car keys.

The KeyRing comes as 28 per cent of female motorists claim to have sensed being followed when walking to their car alone. A further two-fifths (41 per cent) admitted that this feeling was heightened if they could not immediately find their car keys in their bulky bags – leaving themselves feeling vulnerable for longer than necessary. Additionally, three-quarters (75 per cent) of female drivers admit to feeling at their most vulnerable walking to their cars alone at night.

However, the risks are not only at night as national crime statistics reveal that women are actually most vulnerable on a weekday during daylight hours with 577,000 (from the person) thefts – including handbag crimes – having been reported over the past year(5).

Jenny Fawson, Director of Personal Safety at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, commented: “Two of the most important things a woman can do to improve her safety is to stay aware of her surroundings and to avoid potentially dangerous situations. If you are distracted from your surroundings because you are chatting on your mobile, listening to an mp3 player or rummaging about in your bag for keys, you will be less likely to see danger approaching and therefore less likely to be able to avoid it".

"It’s also worth remembering that if you are returning to your parked car late at night and the car park or the street is deserted, the risk to your safety can be greater, so making sure you act quickly and confidently to get into your car safely is vital".

Top safety tips for female motorists:

• Try to always keep keys in the same safe place in your handbag such as a side pocket or easily accessible key wallet
• Park in well lit spaces - whether on the street or in a car park
• Find your keys whilst in a safe place and have them to hand before approaching your car
• In car parks, try to park as close to the entrance or exit as possible to avoid having to walk alone for too long – and don’t choose a space beside pillars, stairwells or anywhere a person could potentially hide

Sheilas’ Wheels has already approached car manufacturers with the innovation and design concept – with a view to aiding nationwide production and distribution of the KeyRing.

Jacky Brown, at Sheilas’ Wheels car insurance, commented: "We are always looking to address women’s motoring safety concerns and with the Sheilas’ Wheels KeyRing we do just that. Not only will women be able to open their cars with minimal fuss, but they will be able to quickly get in to the safety of their vehicle before having to root around in their handbag for their car keys".

"We hope that by developing this concept and gauging public opinion, car manufacturers will get in touch with a view to producing the Sheilas’ Wheels KeyRing themselves."

Regional differences

44 per cent of female drivers in London admit to feeling unsafe when standing alone, rummaging around in their bags for their car keys – twice as many as those polled in the North East (22 per cent).

Research also reveals that one in seven (14 per cent) Welsh female motorists has had their bag, or something from inside their bag, stolen whilst distracted. Further to this, thoseWelsh drivers polled take a minute per day looking for their keys before getting behind the wheel, equating to over six hours a year(6).

Age differences

Almost a quarter (23 per cent) of under 25s claim to have at least three oversized handbags – compared to just 12 per cent of over 55s – potentially putting themselves at risk when searching for their keys. Female motorists under 25 are also more likely to feel vulnerable when searching for their car keys (48 per cent) compared to over 55s (29 per cent).

With 56 per cent of all female motorists polled identifying trend-led big bags as a hindering factor when searching for keys, the Sheilas’ Wheels KeyRing will allow fashion-conscious women to drape the season’s must-have holdall over their arm without having to worry about struggling to find their all-important car keys.

Sheilas’ Wheels has worked alongside design experts Gusto to develop the new KeyRing innovation. If a cocktail ring is not for you, then the technology could also be applied to a necklace, bangle, or even earrings.

Over the past three years, Sheilas’ Wheels has also created:

• The S-Clip – a simple device that changes the route of the standard car seatbelt, taking it down the middle of the chest instead of cutting across the breasts to relieve discomfort and reduce the danger of women not wearing their seatbelts properly or at all
• The Buddy on Demand – a blow-up man that inflates at the flick of a switch if and when a woman driving alone after dark needs an instant passenger to help her feel less vulnerable
• The Sheila Driving Heel – a pair of safe flat shoes and sassy heels in one, making women safer behind the wheel without compromising on style

We are encouraging female motorists to give Sheilas’ Wheels their views on the KeyRing by visiting www.ilovesheilas.com

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For further information please contact the Sheilas’ Wheels press office at Mischief PR on 020 7100 9999 or email sheilaswheels@mischiefpr.com

Visit the media centre: www.sheilaswheels.com

Visit the official fansite for Sheilas’ Wheels: www.ilovesheilas.com

An ISDN line is available for radio interviews.

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Notes to Editors:

1. Sheilas’ Wheels used the independent online research company Fly Research who surveyed 1,080 females in the UK, from across the country aged 18 and over, between the 24th August and 27th August 2009.
2. 17.33 days: based on an average 2.2 journeys per day and the average woman’s life expectancy (81) based on women learning to drive at 17. Source: The Office of National Statistics. This equates to an average of two minutes per car journey.
3. Sheilas’ Wheels KeyRing – the name given to the innovation.
4. 2,276,514: based on 18,970,948 female motorists with provisional and full licenses (DVLA)
5. Official stats from the Home Office and British Crime Survey Figures: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0708chap2.xls http://www.inthebag.org.uk/about-bag-theft/bag-theft-environments/
6. 6.1 hours: based on an average 2.2 journeys per day.

About Sheilas’ Wheels:

Sheilas’ Wheels was launched in October 2005 to offer women drivers cheaper car insurance and product enhancements including £300 handbag cover - for bags stolen from the car (comprehensive cover only), competitive breakdown recovery rates, a dedicated counselling line run by trained professionals to help customers cope with driving issues such as road rage (comprehensive cover only) and a network of female-friendly repairers. In February 2008, the brand moved beyond car insurance to also offer home insurance.

About the Suzy Lamplugh Trust:

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is the only UK charity entirely devoted to providing everyone in society with the practical support and personal safety guidance they need to reduce their fear of crime and develop skills and strategies for avoiding violence and aggression. www.suzylamplugh.org

About Gusto:

Gusto Design Ltd is involved with the design and development of award winning products for international markets. Gusto’s extensive experience across a number of sectors means that they can take a project from initial design brief right the way through to final production and beyond. Their core skills are a blend of art, science, engineering and innovation and we work closely with clients to deliver an aspirational vision. Gusto are equally comfortable developing small batches of technology demonstrators for blue chip companies (e.g. Intel) as producing mainstream commercial products produced in annual quantities of many millions (e.g. Boots). www.gusto.co.uk

Sponsorship:

Sheilas’ Wheels sponsors the ITV National and Channel 4 Weather bulletins: "The weather you can never choose, but Sheilas’ Wheels is all good news!"