The Odds of Dying in a Car Crash

Daun Thompson — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 06:19:40 +0000

I have been preoccupied with thoughts of mortality since my Father’s death in September. Although his life ended as a result of natural causes, he barely escaped the odds of dying in a car crash or in a motorcycle crash. Of course these odds change as technology evolves. Everything does. And, it appears that more people are choosing cremation rather than a traditional funeral. This is what my Mother had chosen for him. A handful of children attended the memorial service at the funeral home, since there was no viewing, it seemed kid appropriate. Little did we know, there was another service scheduled across the hall from my Father’s, with a traditional viewing. Shortly after the service began, my tiny niece ran up to her mother and said “Mom! I just saw a dead body! A REAL dead body!” My sister was horrified. Then my niece looked around the room and with a puzzled look on her face, said “Where’s Grandpa’s body?” My sister told her “Grandpa’s body is in that box on the table.” My niece looked at her with a little grin. Clearly her mother was joking. “How did Grandpa fit in that little box?” My sister said “Because we had Grandpa cremated and his ashes are in that box.” My niece screamed “You set Grandpa on FIRE?”
With my preoccupation of life and death, I found some interesting statistics and other facts about death and dying. I wasn’t surprised that the National Safety Council’s table on an individual’s odds of dying from various causes lists motor vehicle incidents in the top four, with the odds being 1 in 112. The odds for a car occupant dying are 1 in 492. And the odds of a motorcycle rider dying are 1 in 922. The National Safety Council collects safety statistics for their annual Injury Facts publication, which includes this table on an individual’s odds of dying from various causes. But, still, the number one cause of death on the list is heart disease and cancer, which are 1 in 7 odds. Not good odds for any of the living and certainly bad news for those who are already gone.
And let us not forget the old hornet, wasp and bee sting deaths (1 in 75,852), legal execution (1 in 96,203) and being killed by a dog (1 in 103,798). Wait! I have three dogs that are seemingly nice. Tonight, I will be sleeping with one eye open.
Until next week …
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
The Odds of Dying in a Car Crash – Comedy Defensive Driving

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I’M CAUGHT IN A TRAP…I CAN’T GET OUT…

Lisa — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:07:38 +0000

Speed traps in North America.Cha ching!Where do we start?There are several websites whose sole purpose is to locate and create a listing of speed traps across the country.Speedtrap.org is one such website.(Another option that I feel has saved me from being ticketed over the years? Just drive like a nervous Chihuahua and look out for cops).

How each website compiles their information varies. There are websites where they list the top ten worst states for speeding tickets, or for traffic tickets which are actually compiled by number of violations issued in a given period. Another lists ten states to watch your wallet in. And these states appear to have similar characteristics. Toll roads, road blocks, freeway construction and red light cameras, to name a few. Compiled data from the Google search engine has created a list of the top cities that generated the highest number of searches for “speeding tickets” and “traffic tickets”.Wondering where your city is on the list?Me too.

It appears that, although California, Texas and Florida are hot beds for losing your wallet to the law (most speeding tickets and traffic tickets written),none of these three states are at the top ten list for speed traps.In fact, California ranks 14, with Fresno being their top ticket city.Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Irvine and Pleasanton are the contending cities.Pleasanton has an awesome mall. I believe I’ve even gotten a ticket there once. Texas ranks 28, with Houston being their top ticket city. Although Richardson, Dallas, Austin and Arlington are nearly as bad.Florida finds itself on the list at number 18. Waldo being its bad boy city for tickets. Where the hell is Waldo, anyway?? No, I really mean it…And Miami, Orlando and Tampa appear to be up and coming ticket cities in that state.

The top states, along with their top cities for speed traps are as follows.And most of them are not large cities.

1) New Jersey (Paramus)
2) Ohio (Columbus)
3) Maryland (Frederick)
4) Louisiana (Woodworth)
5) New York (Brooklyn)
6) Illinois (Naperville…You know, where they film the show “Female Forces”…like girls gone wild…only with cops)
7) Delaware (Newark)
8) Virginia (Virginia Beach)
9) Washington (Bellingham)
10) Massachusetts (Worcester)

In addition to knowing which states and their cities are worst for traps, there are also other key items to keep in mind when traveling out of state.In some states, you cannot take a right on red. Nor a left on a one way to a one way on red. Some highway traffic has the right of way to oncoming traffic and some yields to. Some states have hands free laws, where some only have city ordinances (i.e. Austin, Texas has a no texting city ordinance).

Do a little research before heading out on a road trip. And keep your wallet where it belongs…in your wife’s purse.

Daun Thompson

( Daun Thompson is a comedienne, artist and writer … who is currently feeling blessed that she is not a hot tar roofer… residing in the triple digits, hotter than hell, state of Texas )

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The Odds of Dying in a Car Crash

I’M CAUGHT IN A TRAP…I CAN’T GET OUT…