Whether it's due to desire or necessity, more women are traveling by car - alone or with their children - than ever before. Even so, they don't necessarily feel comfortable doing it. According to a recent OnStar survey, nearly one in three women admits to feeling unsafe while driving alone.

And while "running out of gas" and "engine troubles" were cited as areas for concern among survey respondents, the majority of women drivers say they worry more about getting into an accident or getting lost while traveling alone or with their children.

"It's clear from the survey responses that women are looking for ways to enhance their peace of mind when driving -- whether it's a long-distance solo car trip, the daily commute to work, or simply ferrying kids to and from afterschool activities," notes Chet Huber, OnStar President. "Ninety four percent of female subscribers say that OnStar provides peace of mind when they're traveling alone; 87 percent of female subscribers say that OnStar provides that peace of mind when loved ones are traveling. And more than 70 percent of OnStar's female subscribers tell us they prefer or will only purchase an OnStar-equipped vehicle."

OnStar, the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety and security services, uses wireless technology and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to link the car and driver to a call center where advisors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide real-time assistance.

OnStar services include automatic air bag notification, stolen vehicle location, emergency services, roadside assistance, remote vehicle diagnostics, remote door unlock, routing, point-of-interest location and online concierge. On a monthly basis (average for Dec. 2002-Feb. 2003), OnStar responds to approximately:

• 700 automatic air bag notifications

• 400 stolen vehicle location requests

• 6,000 emergency button pushes

• 15,000 remote vehicle diagnostics requests

• 14,000 roadside assistance requests

• 27,000 remote door unlock requests

• 220,000 route support calls

For 2003, OnStar is available on more than 60 vehicles from seven different auto manufacturers, including SUVs, light trucks, minivans, crossovers, large and midsize sedans, and small cars.From Super Highways to Rural Routes

Research shows that automobile collisions on rural roads account for 60 percent of the nation's fatal accidents, yet only 20 percent of all crashes occur on these roads. It often takes emergency crews longer to find out about the crash and get medical attention to victims. One such victim was Cindy Ensinger of Virginia Beach, VA.

"I was on my way home with my two daughters one night when I decided to pass a vehicle that seemed to be swerving. As I was passing, the other vehicle inched toward my sedan and forced me off the road, causing my car to roll over three times. For some reason, I had the presence of mind to push the red emergency button on my OnStar communication system. That immediately put me in touch with an adviser at OnStar's call center," she noted. Using information from the vehicle's embedded GPS receiver, an adviser was able to determine her exact location, which he passed along to the local emergency dispatcher.

"I probably would have been stranded upside down in that field unless someone had seen me go off the side of the road," said Cindy Ensinger. "But since I had OnStar, I was able to push the emergency button and get immediate help for me and my family."

According to Harry Teter, executive director of the American Trauma Society, based in Upper Marlboro, Md., in-vehicle systems with automatic crash notification (ACN) systems such as OnStar, have saved hundreds of lives.

The American Trauma Society is a nonprofit professional society of doctors, nurses and emergency response professionals. A recent analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted by the American Trauma Society found that if the nation's entire automobile fleet was equipped with ACN systems, nearly 838 lives could be saved annually.

Safety & Security Tips from OnStar

While its in-vehicle service is an effective means for ensuring peace of mind for women traveling alone by car, OnStar offers the following easy-to-implement tips:

• Keep an eye on the weather. Unexpected storms can wreak havoc on local roads as well as highways. Always get a weather update before leaving the house, even if you're just going out to run a few errands.
  

• Make sure your spare tire is in good condition and filled to the proper pressure.
  

• Outfit your car with a first aid kit; be sure to replenish supplies on a regular basis.
  

• Put together an emergency kit with these suggested items: flashlight, flares, road atlas, bottled water; energy bars; blanket, etc.
  

• It may not always be safe to reach for a cell phone while behind the wheel. A hands-free, voice-activated phone is a better and safer alternative.
  

• Make a plan. Talk to your children about what to do and whom to call in the event of an emergency, such as an accident, etc.
  

(Source: General Motors)