Bristol Borough Woman’s Business Looks To Connect Motorists

A Bristol Borough woman has a novel idea aimed at preventing people from using their mobile devices as they drive while also helping singles make special connections.

HeartsInCars went live about a year ago and has hundreds of active members – mainly in the Philadelphia area at the moment – and has helped connect numerous motorists who have been looking for love.

Founder Michelle Sweeney, who works at a Philadelphia hospital, said she came up with the idea while waiting in traffic on I-95 four years ago. At the time, she was stuck in a jam when she saw a man and a woman professing their admiration for one another and exchanging numbers.

“I saw them swap numbers and thought there has to be a safer way to communicate with that special person,” she said.

A few years later, HeartsInCars launched and is gearing up to grow.

Sweeney explained how the online service works. Users sign up for a package that costs between $9.99 and $19.99 per month and then they receive a magnet with a unique and easy to remember code that a curious passerby can use to connect with them on the dating site.

Although, 95 percent of users make use of the magnets, site members don’t have to use them and can use HeartsInCars as a traditional dating site, Sweeney said.

So far, the site has led to one upcoming marriage and a number of relationships that Sweeney has been made aware of over the past year.

One user who reached out and thanked HeartsInCars for their service explained that she met a man at a red light. He then went online, made an account, and used the code on the woman’s car to connect with her.

Sweeney, who happily married, said the woman told her she felt more comfortable because she had seen the man in person and didn’t have to worry about being tricked by inauthentic dating site accounts or old profile photos.

One of the key focuses of the app is encouraging drivers to keep an eye on the road and their surroundings. It’s something, Sweeney said, that many drivers have lost as they look at cell phones or other devices in their vehicles.

While using the website, HeartsInCars displays windows asking users to confirm that they are not driving at the time. The website is built to deter users from accessing if they are driving, Sweeney said.

“[Meeting a love interest] is kind of a reward for pay attention while driving,” the site’s founder said. “Obviously, we want people to fall in love and stay together. And that’s already happening.”

While the site does feature users out of the Philadelphia region, Sweeney is aiming to grow that in the future. She currently is in discussions with a major insurance company on a partnership.

Development of an app is also underway.

Locally, HeartsInCars has received attention on NBC 10 and 6abc and has a storefront display at Trainpops Attic on Mill Street in Bristol Borough.

HeartsInCars has worked to market itself online, through bars and clubs, and plans to be at upcoming regional music festivals.

Sweeney said LevittownNow.com readers can sign up using code “LTOWN” and receive their first three months free.