Oversized Handbags Put Female Motorists at Risk

Posted on: Sep 14

We already knew oversized handbags are an ergonomic nightmare which put us at risk of identity theft, but now it seems there are a few more reasons to ditch our large totes. A study by insurance company Sheilas' Wheels shows that enormous bags pose a serious threat to female motorists.

Women favoring the huge handbags spend an average of 416 hours of their lives rummaging for “buried” car keys. While it's astounding, it probably seems like little more than an inconvenience. But when you consider the safety risk this behavior poses, the situation becomes a little serious.

A third of the women surveyed said they felt anxious about finding their keys when traveling alone or late at night. 12% of women were victims of bag snatching crimes, while 28% felt they were being followed when returning to their vehicles.

"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," explained Jenny Fawson, director of personal safety at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

"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 an idea to stash keys safely in your bag's zippered pocket or external pouches, or ditch the big bags altogether when flying solo.

[Source: Daily Mail]
[Image Source: David Shankbone/Wikipedia Commons]