It happened to Nelly's mom when the rap superstar made his first appearance ever in the world. It's been documented and dramatized frequently in the movies and on TV. It's the miracle of birth and it can happen anywhere … even in the backseat of a car!

New statistics show that giving birth in a vehicle while en route to a hospital or clinic happens to about one in every 300 women in the United States. The data was collected in a new telephone survey conducted by Jiffy Lube International and Ipsos-U.S. Express.

Statistics from state health departments that account for births on the road indicated that they are more common in larger metropolitan areas such as Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Los Angeles, according to a statement released by Jiffy Lube, a "fast" oil and filter change service.

Eva Marie Avendano, clinical services coordinator for American Medical Response's South Florida division, cited heavy traffic, foul weather and poor planning as some reasons why expectant mothers give birth before reaching their destinations.

"Based on our own experiences, it could be anything from a lack of good pre-natal care, to not knowing the baby's specific due date, to not knowing who to call for a quick ride to the hospital, or even road and weather conditions," she said in a statement.

Captain Dana Richards of the Los Angeles County Fire Department concurred in the statement, citing his own experience with a woman who gave birth at a roadside gas station. "Ironically, we were at most one-half mile from the hospital. But the family did not know the way there and there was just no time left," he recalled.

Expectant mothers who are concerned about giving birth in a car are advised to pull over to the side of the road, call 911 for help, and stay calm.

"If the baby is coming fast, you are better off driving safely and pulling off the road rather than driving dangerously to try and get the mother to the hospital," said Henci Goer, author of the book, The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. "The natural birthing process has worked safely for millions of years. You needlessly endanger the mother, the baby and everyone else on the road if you panic and start running red lights and weaving in and out of traffic."

Goer suggested planning for the possibility of an emergency birth by keeping a few essential items -- such as clean towels or blankets, plastic bags or newspaper to protect the upholstery, and a cell phone -- in the car at all times. She also recommended practicing the route to the hospital or clinic both during the day and at night since "things can look different at night."

Goer also advised keeping at least a quarter tank of gas in the car, and said expectant mothers should not drive themselves to the hospital or clinic unless there is no safer alternative. The Jiffy Lube survey found that 15 percent of the mothers polled drove themselves to the hospital or clinic to give birth.