Sheilas’ Wheels car insurance invents keyring to improve women driver safety

Women, on average, spend 416 hours of their lifetime rifling through their handbags in search of their car keys.

Sheila’s Wheels car insurance conducted research to discover how trendy large handbags are affecting the safety of women motorists.

According to the research, a third of women feel panicky and anxious when trying to find their car keys as they approach their car, particularly at night or when they are alone.

Rising vehicle crime figures forces car insurance premiums upwards so it makes sense to compare car insurance to find the best deals as well as look after personal safety and security.

In response to these concerns, Sheilas’ Wheels has developed a car key that resembles a wearable cocktail ring so that the key can always be quickly found.

Using this device, the car can be unlocked by pressing the rings gemstone so that the woman can then rummage through her handbag to find the ignition key in the safety of her car.

Sheila’s Wheels is approaching car manufacturers with this idea to seek nationwide production and distribution of the keyring.

Commenting on this invention, Jacky Brown, at Sheilas’ Wheels car insurance, said: “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.”

With women drivers feeling increasingly vulnerable when alone – 28 per cent claim to have sensed being followed when walking to their car alone, for example – initiatives such as the Sheilas’ Wheels KeyRing can help fight crime, and, importantly, the fear of crime.

There are sensible behaviours that the lone female motorist can adopt to improve her safety and security, as Jenny Fawson, Director of Personal Safety at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, advises:

“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.”