Hyundai Motor America Puts Women in the Driver's Seat for Safety

Lyn St. James and New York Women Turn Out for A Girlfriend's Guide to DefenSAFE Driving

NEW YORK, April 6 -- Today at Show Piers on the Hudson thirty professional women participated in Hyundai Motor America's defensive driving seminar, A Girlfriend's Guide to DefenSAFE Driving. Racing veteran, Lyn St. James, the only woman to be named Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, and other top female drivers conducted the course that concentrated on life-saving driving techniques, including threshold braking (extreme braking without skidding), steering correction and skid control.

More women are on the road than ever before. A new survey indicates that although women are skilled drivers, some aspect of driving intimidates 64 percent of them, and of those women, 45 percent are most concerned with regaining control of a car to avoid an accident.

"Hyundai is the first company to conduct a seminar of this kind," said Lyn St. James, automotive expert and consultant to Hyundai Motor America. "Conducted completely by professional women drivers, for women, this event continues Hyundai's tradition of empowering drivers on the road."

Over the course of the day, participants learned braking and steering techniques that save lives. On specially designed driving courses, the women completed exercises that taught them the difference between braking in a vehicle with and without anti-lock brakes (ABS). In addition to the behind-the-wheel lessons, the participants were also taught personal safety techniques to keep them safe when they are not driving.

"Hyundai Motor America understands the influence of the female consumer," said Donna Kane, national manager at Hyundai Motor America. "Statistics show that women influence more than 80-85 percent of all vehicle purchases and account for more than 50 percent of car buyers."

Through its Power of the Purse program -- automotive empowerment workshops designed to teach women how to make more informed decisions about car buying and servicing -- HMA has shown its dedication to helping women during the car buying process. With this seminar, Hyundai takes its commitment to women one step further by empowering them on the road.

About Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America, based in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai cars and sport utility vehicles are distributed in the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 625 dealerships nationwide.