booster seat Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

OPERATION CARE

Daun Thompson — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 13:00:11 +0000

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has been stepping up enforcement of the Move Over/Slow Down Law through Operation CARE (Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort). This provides law enforcement with information, training and a forum for discussing roadway safety issues. These issues include the improvement of public safety on our roads and highways. In 1978, every U.S. state became part of this effort in order to deter speeding, impaired driving and failure to use occupant restraints. So, originally this effort focused more on the protection of the public, rather than the protection of law enforcement.

OPERATION CARE’S ROLE IN ACCIDENT REDUCTION

State police and highway patrol agencies have joined together with the goal of reducing human suffering on our highways. And it is the only national program designed to draw ALL state level law enforcement agencies together to achieve common goals of traffic accident reduction. Their efforts created the standardized field sobriety testing and the support of mandatory seat belt use legislation back in 1984. And I do remember when a driver could have an open container in the car as well as when you did not have to wear a seat belt. Your mom’s forearm was your seat belt.

MOVE OVER/SLOW DOWN LAW

And now, efforts are also focusing on enforcement of the Move Over/Slow Down Law. Passed in 2003, this law requires motorists to move over or slow down 20mph below the posted speed limit when passing emergency vehicles or service vehicles that are stopped on the side of the road with emergency lights flashing. This includes Police, Ambulance, Fire Trucks, Tow Trucks, the Department of Transportation, etc. These workers risk their lives every day for us. And their safety is particularly vulnerable while working on the side of the road.

Today all 50 states, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are involved in C.A.R.E.

Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

OPERATION CARE – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Seat Belts Save Lives

Daun Thompson — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 15:01:59 +0000

While it’s kind of mean to say that people that don’t wear a seat belt must have a death wish and that perhaps those who refuse to wear one is (to those of us who do wear them) another form of natural selection, studies show that seat belts save lives. And, they not only save the lives of those who wear them, but the lives of others riding in the vehicle. Most people who don’t wear them admit that it’s because the seat belt is uncomfortable and will wrinkle their outfit. Not like going through the windshield won’t wrinkle their outfit and their head, etc.

If those non-wearers want scientific evidence, perhaps explaining how kinetic energy works in an impact and damage to soft tissue and bones at a high impact can oftentimes kill you, even with all of the crazy new safety features in cars. At a slower speed, wearing a seat belt will, at the very least, keep you in your seat where you can still control and maneuver your vehicle, rather than attempting to do it from the passenger seat or back seat where you may end up. At a higher speed, the faster you go, the more kinetic energy you and the vehicle possess. When you hit the brakes or your car comes to an abrupt stop, all this kinetic energy has to go somewhere. A small portion is released as heat (like tire friction) while most of it goes into “reshaping” your car when it hits the oncoming car (which is also reshaped into a lawsuit). But a significant amount of kinetic energy is absorbed by the body. And this is more so if the occupant is not properly restrained by a seat belt.

The latest safety features include crumple zones, air bags, crash avoidance and automatic braking systems. But these can only do so much. So, to reduce the effects of g-forces on your body, it is imperative to wear a seat belt at all times. Not only will it stop your body from colliding with the car’s interior, it can provide about a foot of extra stretching distance which can drastically reduce the amount of acute g-force exerted on your body. It will also keep you from becoming your own hood ornament.

And, it is always a good idea to practice defensive driving in order to anticipate any possible accident scenarios on the road. Avoid following too close and keep your eyes on the road by avoiding distractions.

Until next week,

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Seat Belts Save Lives – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Child Car Seats – Safety

Daun Thompson — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 06:59:58 +0000

There is much more focus on child safety than there was when I was a kid. We weren’t required to wear seat belts until 1986. Prior to that, safety was an “option” and my Mother’s arm was our seat belt. Now, we are even beginning to see seat belts in school buses. Here are a few of the most current issues regarding child car seats in vehicles.

There is no question that a properly installed car seat can prevent serious injuries to a child and perhaps even save a life. But, studies have shown that the amount of time your child spends in that car seat can cause long-term health issues such as cancer and hormone disruption because most car seats still contain dangerous chemicals. And, just when we thought they were completely safe!

Due to an outdated law from the 1960’s when more people smoked, car upholstering began to be made with flame retardant fabrics. In 1981 kid seats adopted these standards. And most child safety seats today have these dangerous chemicals that can be harmful, even fatal to a child, over time. There are petitions you can find online to help stop these flame retardant chemicals from remaining standard in car seats.

Also, when it comes to child safety in vehicles, a recent crash test shows that, when a child is wearing a heavy winter coat, it may feel like they are strapped snugly into their car seat when, actually, the straps are dangerously loose. Experts say you should always strap your child securely into their car seat without their coat on. Instead of putting the coat on the child, put the coat over them. Or you can even use a blanket. When strapping a child into a car seat, there should be a nice, tight fit of the harness to the child’s body. You should not be able to pinch any webbing up at the shoulder area. And the harness clip (the clip across the chest) should be at armpit level. As for the coat, the same applies to adults. Never wear a heavy coat under a seat belt.

As new child safety standards evolve, we will keep you up to date. After all, you can never be too safe when it comes to your mini me.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Child Car Seats – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Safety for kids

Daun Thompson — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 18:06:17 +0000

I wrote a blog some time back, happily announcing that both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had issued new “recommendations” regarding child safety when riding in automobiles. Since that time, some things have really changed. It’s nice to see that people are really listening and that we are constantly evolving when it comes to child safety issues. Some schools have even installed seat belts in school buses to provide better safety for kids.

It had been proven that small children are safest in rear-facing car seats until age 2 (yes, two…no longer one). Although this has not changed and children are only required to remain facing backwards until age one, other changes have been implemented. One thing I thought would be problematic about this recommendation, if the rear-facing child’s legs extend beyond the seat, their legs would be pinched between the car seat and the bottom end of the car seat. Not all children grow at the same rate. Convertible car seats address these issues. Like the Graco Extend2Fit Convertible Car Seat. This seat provides 5” of extra leg room to keep your baby safely and comfortably seated in the rear-facing position longer. And the seat also transitions to a forward-facing harnessed seat for toddlers. It also has a feature called the Simply Safe™ Adjust which allows you to adjust the height of the harness and headrest as your child grows.

The study behind the rear-facing child is, while in a front-facing car seat, a crash can jerk a child’s head, causing spinal cord injuries, neck injuries or head injuries. A rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body. One year olds are five times less likely to be injured in a crash if they are in a rear-facing car seat than a forward-facing seat.

Both organizations say older children who’ve outgrown front-facing car seats should ride in booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits them. If the seat does not fit them properly in the booster seat, they need to be in a booster seat with a 5-point harness restraint. If their little bodies are too small, they can slip in an accident, causing life threatening injuries when their bodies impact on the adult seat belt. The movement allows increased momentum, crushing organs against the skeleton and the seat belt. There is nothing for the body to impact on when you use a harness. Booster seats help position adult seat belts properly on children’s smaller frames. Children usually can graduate from a booster seat when their height reaches 4’ 9”. In Texas, our age and height requirements are 8 years old or 4’ 9” (whichever comes first). In other words, your 80 year old 4’ 1” Grandmother doesn’t need to be in a booster seat. But the back seat would be the safest place for a fragile little old lady (or a child).

Both groups say that children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat because they still have forming bones and poorly fitting seat belts can cause abdominal and spine injuries in a crash. Not to mention the dangers of the air bags. I had no problem enforcing that one, since my daughter rode in the back seat until she was 17 (not for safety sake, she just didn’t want to be seen with me).

Again, these are only recommendations and not state or federal laws. But, these recommendations are based on evidence from crashes. Just do your best to keep your Mini Me safe.

Until Next week…

Daun Thompson
Child Safety For Kids – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Car Seats for Children

Daun Thompson — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 14:56:54 +0000

My Niece is having her baby today. I just got the news and am thrilled beyond words! Babies are truly a gift! Apparently, they are a gift that you cannot return, unless you have kept the receipt and haven’t removed the tags. When I had my baby, the hospital personnel would not allow me to take my baby home unless I had an appropriate car seat for her. And, they informed me that they would actually “give” me a car seat if I didn’t have one. Safety first…or perhaps they just didn’t want me to leave my screaming baby there. So what are the current laws regarding car seats for children? There are apparently four (4) phases, according to their age and weight, and sometimes their height.

According to the 2016 Child Safety National Best Practice Recommendations:

Phase 1 – REAR FACING SEATS:
Infants: Birth – 35+ pounds and 2+ years old. Rear-facing infant or rear-facing convertible safety seat as long as possible, up to the rear-facing height or weight limit of the seat. Properly install according to instructions in owner’s manual, rear-facing in the back seat.

Phase 2 – FORWARD FACING SEATS:
When children outgrow the rear-facing safety seat (minimum 2+ years), they should ride in a forward-facing safety seat as long as possible, up to the upper height or weight limit (40 – 80+ pounds) of the harnesses. Usually 4+ years old. Properly installed forward-facing in the back seat. NEVER turn forward-facing before child meets all: AGE/HEIGHT/WEIGHT requirements set by safety seat manufacturer for forward-facing.

Phase 3 – BOOSTER SEATS:
After age 4 and 40+ pounds and behavior maturity*, children can ride in a booster seat with the adult lap and shoulder belt until the adult safety belt will fit them properly (usually when the child is 10 – 12 years old). MUST have a lap/shoulder belt to use a booster seat.
*Behavior maturity required according to booster seat owner’s manual

Phase 4 – ADULT SAFETY BELT:
Once children outgrow their booster seat (usually at 10 – 12 years old) they can use the adult lap/shoulder safety belt if it fits them properly.
Lap portion low over the hips/tops of thighs and shoulder belt crosses the center of the shoulder and center of the chest.

Although these are the laws (in most states…some state laws may slightly vary), the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) advises that you do not allow a child to ride in the front seat of the car until 15 years of age, since their bones are still forming and it is clearly safer to keep them in the back seat, secured as long as possible. My daughter rode in the back seat of the car until she was 17!! (not for safety sake…she just didn’t want to be seen with me).
If you have a child or care for someone else’s child(ren), there is some excellent information at CPSBoard.org (National Child Passenger Safety Board) and at http://www.safercar.gov/parents.

Until next week…keep that precious gift as safe as possible!

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Car Seats for Children – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Update Regarding Seat Belts on School Buses

Daun Thompson — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 00:46:23 +0000

On September 16th, I wrote a blog about seat belts on school buses. Safety experts say it is a “no brainer.” Even young children know better. Since they are always correctly restrained in the back seat of their family vehicle, it’s just becomes a habit. They know that it’s safer. They feel safer. So, it must be terribly confusing for a child when they get on the school bus and there are no seat belts. Now, finally the Federal Government is changing their position and recommending there be seat belts in every school bus, nationwide. It’s about time! So here is the most recent update regarding seat belts on school buses.
Some school buses already have them, but most don’t. And, although even Mark Rosekind, the Administrator of the NTSA (National Traffic Safety Administration) agrees that the safest way for a child to get to school is on that big yellow bus, many kids are killed and thousands are injured every year in school bus accidents. The NTSA doesn’t require seat belts on school buses. But now, NTSA is now taking action and officially declaring that seat belts save lives. And going even further by endorsing that there should be a 3 point restraint safety belt for every child on every bus. They are asking school districts to do it voluntarily and if not, rule making may follow. Also, eventually making it mandatory for a bus manufacturers to have seat belts standard on school buses. So, if the safest way to get to school is on that big yellow bus, wouldn’t safety belts make them even safer? Absolutely!
It’s definitely a huge step. But It’s not a mandate yet. It’s up to your local school district to budget it. But it is going to be expensive and experts worry that some districts won’t do it unless they are forced to. So the NTSA says they may have to do just that.
Parents and educators need to rally together within their own school districts to make school officials aware of the utmost importance of this matter.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
**You can see Daun perform in November at the following comedy venues:
Sue Ellen’s – Dallas, Texas – Nov. 15
Escapade’s – Arlington, Texas – Nov. 20

Update Regarding Seat Belts on School Buses – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Child Safety

Daun Thompson — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 03:00:16 +0000

Child Safety is a serious issue and subject to serious consequences. Overtaking (passing) a school bus when its lights are flashing and the stop arm is out is, in most states, well over a $1,200 fine! Some school buses are now equipped with cameras for when the police aren’t present. Not having a child secured in a car seat or booster seat also dishes up some hefty fines, as well as cell phone use in an active school zone during school hours when children are present. And, if you don’t follow these current child safety rules, CPS (Child Protective Services) will babysit…..for free….for YEARS!
Both the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) and the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) recommend that small children under 2 years of age are safest when riding in a rear-facing car seat. Although the current law in most states require that an infant remain facing backwards until only 12 months old. It’s all about the neck, head or spinal injuries incurred when facing forward as opposed to the entire body absorbing the impact in a front or rear collision when facing backward.
Older children who have outgrown front facing car seats should ride in booster seats until the lap shoulder belt fits them. If the seat belt does not fit them properly in the booster seat, they need to be in a booster seat with a 5 point harness restraint. And children should remain in a booster seat until their 8th birthday “or” once they’ve reached 4’9” in height, whichever comes first. So, what this means is that your 4’1” grandmother doesn’t have to ride in a booster seat because she’s well over 8 years old.
And children under 13 should always ride in the back seat, according to both organizations. Although in some states it is legal to put them in the front seat at 9, and some at 12. My daughter rode in the back seat of the car until she was 17! Not for safety sake, she just didn’t want to be seen with me. Honestly, I don’t know how she learned how to cuss people out and flip them off from the back seat.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Child Safety – Comedy Defensive Driving
See Daun Thompson LIVE! In Arlington, Texas – Escapades Lounge, October 23rd and Blue Mesa November 1st!

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Seat Belts In The Car

Daun Thompson — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 19:49:59 +0000

When I was a kid, you didn’t have to wear seat belts in the car. Safety was an “option.” Now, if you and your kids are not buckled up, they’ll fry you. Not just the law, but other parents won’t hesitate to let you have it if they see your kids aren’t wearing one or secured in a car seat or booster seat. The national safety belt law went into effect in 1986. Before that, we had seat belts in cars, but they were just cloth lap belts, conveniently tucked down into the seat. My mom’s arm was our seat belt. My dad used to call her “The Seat Belt.” Years later, he started calling her “The Air Bag.” I thought it was just people of my parents’ generation that didn’t wear seat belts. But now, I hear young men between 17 and 24 years of age that tell me they don’t wear a seat belt. When asked why, they say it’s just not cool. Plus it’s uncomfortable. That’s exactly what my Mom would say about the seat belt. She and my Father would drive to Texas all the way from Illinois. And they would never wear their seat belts. My Mother, much like these young guys that don’t wear their seat belts, would say that the seat belt is uncomfortable and will wrinkle her outfit. Not like going through the windshield won’t wrinkle your outfit and your head as well. So, I resort to lying to my parents when they would come to visit me. Not that I’ve never lied to my parents before, but my parents are 78 years old now. And I’m “yikes” (that’s my new age…”yikes”). If my parents are visiting, and I’m driving them around, I tell them if they don’t buckle up, I, as the driver, will get both of their tickets. Of course that is a blatant lie. In Texas, if anyone under 17 years of age (i.e. under age) is not wearing a seat belt in the car, the driver gets the citation. But, anyone 17 or older (i.e. of age) is not wearing a seat belt, they get their own citation, not the driver. I think that’s fair enough. So my parents would buckle up. They’re from Illinois, so they don’t know Texas laws.

Wearing a seat belt is just a good habit to get into. Not only for safety’s sake, but so you don’t get cited for it. I think they train the police in the academy to be able to see, even through a tinted window, if you’re wearing your seat belt or not. I also think they train them in the academy to be able to tell if you’re lying or not. Just like your parents.
Until next week…buckle up.

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Seat Belts In The Car – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Seat Belt Laws

Daun Thompson — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:45:00 +0000

I am a baby boomer, a product of the 1960’s. My Father and Mother were both from lower middle class families. Rising above, my Father’s success measured in new cars. Like that ’68 Toronado convertible with an 8-Track tape player, blasting the Ventures. One thing different about this new car is that it had seat belts. But they were cloth, lap seat belts that were always conveniently tucked down into the seat. My Mom’s arm was our seat belt, and she can still pack a wallop today! My Father used to call her the seat belt. Later in life, he would refer to her as the airbag. In fact, since 1966, laws were put in place that required automobile manufacturers to make seat belts a standard feature in all cars produced. However, federal law did not require that drivers and passengers use seat belts or assess punitive measures for those who did not. Prior to 1984, safety was an “option.” New York became the first state to pass . And later, other states followed suit. Thank you, Ralph Nader. I think I voted for you once.

Yes, we baby boomers grew up in a time of social change. It was a time of free love, countercultural values and safety actually being an “option.” Where was the logic? Prior to seat belt laws, we had steel dashboards covered in a paper-thin layer of vinyl. You could actually stand up on the seat if you were small enough. Most of my cousins wear “bangs” to cover a nasty permanent scar as a result. Heck, we would ride in the back window of the car, like a Beanie Baby.

And what safety options are there today? There are too many to list. But, to name a few, we have airbags, anti-lock brakes and sensors for tailgating, drifting, blind spots and hydroplaning. Laws require car seats and booster seats for kids as well. We’ve come a long way.

So, do the right thing. Buckle up your passengers, your kids and yourself. So you and your passengers can live to a ripe old age like the rest of we baby boomers, including George Clooney, Ricky Gervais, Sting, Madonna, Stephen Tyler and Barack Obama.

Until next week…buckle up.

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Seat Belt Laws – Comedy Defensive Driving

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National Child Passenger Safety Week – Save Me With A Seat

Daun Thompson — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:09:36 +0000

You know, the best things in life are free. And that’s why I shoplift. During National Child Passenger Safety Week, which runs September 16-22, there will be free (you heard it) safety seat check-ups. These check ups will be offered during the last day of the event for the Save Me With A Seat program on September 22nd. The program has been created to inform parents and caregivers of the critical need to properly restrain their children when riding in a motor vehicle. Also known as National Seat Check Saturday, the event will provide certified child safety technicians to give advice and perform hands-on child safety seat inspections.

Making the world aware that duct tape, although noted as a fine restraint back in the 70’s, is no longer appropriate. Too bad, since it now comes in kid-friendly colors and prints. This is also to remind parents and caregivers that the Texas Child Restraint Law changed in 2009. Before that, children had to be in a safety seat until they were 5 years old and 36 inches tall. The current law requires that children remain restrained in a safety seat until they are 8 years old or 4 feet 9 inches tall (whichever comes first, the 8th birthday or the height). So, not a combination of two as in the past. This also means that your 81 year old, 4 feet 1 inch grandmother doesn’t have to be in a booster seat. And, of course, the back seat is the safest place for a small, fragile person. For that reason, children younger than 13 years of age should always ride in the back seat of the car. My daughter is 16 years old and still rides in the back seat. Not for safety-sake. She just doesn’t want to be seen with me. Whatever! For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers can visit their local inspection station and they can also refer to the 4 Steps for Kids guidelines for determining which restraint system is best suited to protect children based on their age and size. To learn more about the 4 Steps for Kids guidelines and where to find a child safety seat check point, visit www.bucklethemright.org and look for the Save Me With A Seat program.

Until next week…be sure to buckle them right!

Daun Thompson, Comedienne/Artist/Lightningrod of Reality

Save Me With A Seat – Comedy Defensive Driving

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