Stay safe while driving and get yourself an inflatable buddy

Your experience of inflatables may be limited to splashing around in a paddling pool during those warm summer months as a nipper or bouncing around aimlessly on a bouncy castle after you'd had a few at your brother's wedding, but now Sheila's Wheels, specialists in cheap car insurance for women, have brought a whole new meaning to air filled fun.

You no longer have to worry about not having a date for the cinema or have to trawl your address book trying to find some one who is willing to sit through your repertoire of I-spy and number plate games on long distance journeys. Enter Buddy on Demand.

Buddy is there whenever you need him. Unlike a real-life man, he is at your every command and he doesn't complain about your cooking, bad moods or driving skills.

"Where can I get a man like this?" I hear you cry. Well, He has been designed and created by Inflate as the latest effort to improve road safety for women.

According to the Driving Solo study, carried out by female motor insurance providers Sheila's Wheels, many women avoid driving after 8pm and more than two thirds of women restrict themselves to driving no more than an hour a week after dark as they are concerned for their safety.

Furthermore, 70% of female drivers feel most vulnerable when they experience intimidating behaviour from a male driver and 65% feel most at risk when travelling in unfamiliar areas.

However, the good news is that one in five women surveyed admitted that they have taken a diversion to escape the threatening behaviour of another driver and it is this kind of drive safe thinking that has lead to the advent of Buddy.

Like most men, Buddy may be full of air, but he has been specially designed to make the female motorist feel more secure, especially after dark. It is believed that by providing an extra silhouette in the front passenger seat, rather than that of a lone lady behind the wheel, women will become less of a car crime target. The idea is that road-rage attackers, car jackers and the like, who prey on innocent female drivers, will be deterred if they see the outline of a big strapping lad in the car.

So, all you have to do is flick Buddy's switch (as it were) and your inflatable friend will be there in the seat beside you within a matter of seconds. He may cause a bit of a stir among any motorists that see this fine figure of a man suddenly appear from within your glove compartment but do not fear about such minor technicalities.

Drive safe and keep your cheap car insurance rate sound
DriveSafe, a new initiative which aims to help female motorists feel more confident, positive and safe when driving, think that Buddy is a great idea. Their personal safety expert, Fay Goodman commented: "The Buddy on Demand will hopefully go some way to make women feel safer behind the wheel."

Drive Safe have even devised a Handy Pack for women motorists, which will not only help to achieve all their aims mentioned above but will also help women drivers to keep the cheap car insurance deals that they deserve. Their tips for driving safely alone include:

Projecting confident body language as you drive

Maintaining a tolerant and considerate attitude towards fellow motorists

Never taking risks that could compromise your own or someone else's safety

Thinking ahead when planning your route

Keeping your car in good working order

Driving with a companion whenever possible

Taking self defence classes to build your self-confidence

For more details or to bag yourself a copy of the DriveSafe Handy Pack for women motorists visit www.goodmedia.co.uk.

*A replacement car can normally be arranged under one of the following conditions: (1) Comprehensive policyholders – a replacement car may be available under the terms of your insurance policy. Please check your policy details for more information. (2) Non fault accident – where we have the name, car registration number and insurance details of the person who caused the accident, we can supply a replacement car. This is done on a credit hire basis which means the costs for this service will be passed onto the insurance company of the person who caused the accident. We may not be able to arrange a replacement car where we are unable to get an admission of liability from their insurance company, or where the driver is untraceable or uninsured. (3) Repair garage – if your car is booked in for repairs following an accident, the repair garage may be able to provide a replacement car (subject to availability).