Roadwise - Giving Us Girls Confidence in the Car!

10 May 2007

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust in association with car manufacturers Chevrolet through its showrooms nationwide have come up with the idea of a national campaign specifically for women to put them back in the driving seat of their lives.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is hoping that the brand new project entitled Roadwise will reassure ladies that they can deal with any circumstances when out driving, from the most simple to severe situations.

The scheme, which includes a series of evening meetings being held at UK Chevrolet retail outlets, will certainly prepare women for the road ahead and give them the chance to talk about any concerns they have today.

FemaleFirst were joined by Ann Elledge of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and event organiser Susan Kalair this week to tell us more about the reasons behind this special initiative and give us a peep at what our readers can look forward to when attending one of their planned events.

Why do women feel so afraid of driving alone now

Ann - I think it’s probably all the media coverage that incidents get. We all assume that when we hear these things happening that they’re going to happen to us the minute we get out there on the road. But fortunately they are fairly rare and if you can actually give women some strategies for staying safe then they’re much more confident to get out there and really enjoy the whole driving experience. It’s absolutely about putting women back in control and making them feel they actually really want to make the most of their cars.

What can ladies really expect at these one off evening events though - are they suitable for all age groups

? Susan - Oh yes! The campaign is being run up and down the country and is a free event. Basically it’s an informal forum where we are inviting ladies to come into our car showrooms. We’re discussing personal safety because we know it is at the forefront of our customers’ minds.

However we’re also discussing basic car maintenance because on the one side you’ve got to make sure that you’re aware of your environment so that you’re not complacent and that you’re confident to handle yourself out on the road and in yourself. The other aspect is to make sure that your car is reliable - to make sure that you know your car. It’s important that your car is regularly serviced, that you pop your bonnet open and have a nose around underneath to make sure that the fluid levels are correctly checked. Also to have a look at your tyres and familiarise with them - are they over inflated or under inflated even? Make sure they’re right.

It’s absolutely key that people are aware of their own vehicles so that they are less likely to break down. Obviously if you break down we have the top tips and advice to make sure that you manage your situation safely. But the whole idea is that you are as best prepared as you can be and there will be practical demonstrations.

There will be experts available at these evenings. We have experts from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and we will also have a local college lecturer delivering and responding to questions.

So crucial "personal safety" issues like accidents and what to do if somebody is being followed will definitely be covered in depth at these Roadwise meetings. Tell us more..

Ann - Yes. After an accident the main thing to do is to stay calm because often tempers can get a bit frayed if there’s an incident. So if anybody gets aggressive after an incident don’t meet that aggression with further aggression because it will escalate the situation. We’d also advise that you belong to a National Breakdown organisation because a quick call to them and knowing that help is on its way can very quickly diffuse some of the tension in an incident. But also one of the main things is to make sure that if there is such a circumstance that you and any passengers that you’ve got with you stay safe. So make sure that you look after your safety before you start to deal with any of the necessities that go with an accident - e.g. exchanging deals of insurance etc. The safety of everyone is paramount.

Susan - With even basic things like exchanging details for all the ladies who attend our Roadwise events we’ve produced a leaflet called "What If and How To". Within that we cover topics like driving alone and what to do if you have an accident. There are also some very useful forms that are already in there. So the idea is you put all your information in and keep it in the glove box so it’s ready and available. Should you be involved in an accident you simply refer to it and you have the information readily available to you at your fingertips.

Ann - Each situation is unique but if a car was following along side you for instance, or deliberately trying to intimidate you do keep driving until you get to a busy public place. Don’t feel tempted to stop because actually once you’ve stopped you’re in a more vulnerable situation. But similarly don’t put your foot on the accelerator and put yourself at risk of having an accident.

We want people who come along to these events to actually think what they would do if a similar occasion happened to them.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is a fantastic organisation. What other events have you got planned for individuals to get involved with this year

Ann - Our concern is the personal safety of everybody from the very young to the very old, whether they’re out in the community or in the workplace. We have teamed up with lots of other charities - Caroline’s Rainbow Trust for instance, for students going on their gap year - a very important feature for young people. Milly’s Fund is another that we worked with and which then came under our umbrella. We try to find tips that are appropriate for different age groups and getting everybody thinking about their personal safety because, really, part of the secret is awareness.

If people really want to get behind us and support us, there are lots of other exciting things that they can do - from trekking the Great Wall of China to jumping out of a plane with a parachute. All sorts of things and of course by coming to these Roadwise events because what they will learn from it will actually stand them in really good stead.

Susan - We’re really honoured to be working with the Trust for these events.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was established in 1986 following the disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, whilst showing a bogus client around a property. Suzy was never found and has since been officially declared dead. For more information log on to www.suzylamplugh.org or telephone 020 7091 0014

For more information on when and where your nearest Roadwise meeting is taking place, please visit Chevrolet’s official site www.chevrolet.co.uk Book a place on 01603 785 808 and remember to inform all your friends about it too.