child safety Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

STOPPING FOR A SCHOOL BUS

Daun Thompson — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 12:00:45 +0000

I have written several blogs striving to educate drivers about stopping for a school bus. This topic is a priority whenever I teach defensive driving. Since many drivers take the course online now, there are fewer students in my classroom. So. I kind of joke with them that we at Comedy Defensive Driving School are doing our part by spreading the word, 5 or so people at a time.

WRONG INFORMATION BEING BROADCAST

I had just spent a rake of time discussing this topic in my class. After class, I heard a public service announcement on the radio warning drivers to stop even if you are driving on the other side of the road, going the opposite direction. This was as I was pulling out of the parking lot. Of course, I almost wrecked the car (which would really look bad). I usually try to only do that away from a class location. I was totally taken aback at how wrong this information was. And the ad was coming from a local high school radio broadcast! Then, I realized that they are likely referring to a situation where there is only a painted line dividing direction of traffic lanes. But, would drivers listening to that announcement understand that you do not stop if your side of the road is separated by a median without a split or divide? Perhaps this ad only had a set amount of air time and they had to edit it down. But, public awareness is the key. And the rule is just not as simple as they’ve stated.

WHAT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SAYS

On TX DPS Website, the school bus article from fall 2019 says exactly this:

According to state law, if a school bus has alternating flashing red signals visible from the front or rear, drivers must stop before reaching the bus. Drivers can only proceed if the flashing lights are no longer activated; the driver signals you to proceed; or the bus has resumed driving. Approaching drivers do not have to stop for a school bus that is operating a visual signal if the roadway is separated by a physical barrier or an intervening space.

If a highway is divided only by a left-turning lane, the roadways are not considered separated, and drivers must stop.

HOW MISINFORMATION HAS DEVASTATING RESULTS

Three quarters of the year has passed and in the first 9 months, school bus drivers have reported more than 95,000 cars passing illegally in a single day. That would average 17 million violations across the school year.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

STOPPING FOR A SCHOOL BUS – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post STOPPING FOR A SCHOOL BUS appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

CHILD CAR SEAT INSPECTION

Daun Thompson — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:00:20 +0000

Installing a child’s car seat properly is imperative for your child’s safety. Of course, a new car seat will come with a manual. But what about your caregiver who may transfer it into their car? Or what if you purchase a used car seat with no manual? We have new sources available to us now showing us how to properly install a car seat. We even have child car seat safety inspection facilities available to us.

CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY WEEK

To help keep children safe on our roads, the NHTSA (Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration) is sponsoring Child Passenger Safety Week from September 15-21. The goal is to make sure your child is in the correct car seat, that it’s properly installed and used, and that it’s registered with its manufacturer to ensure you receive important safety updates.

SAFE KIDS.ORG

Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization working to help families and communities keep kids safe from injuries. This organization hosts a website where you can find locations that do child car seat safety check-ups and inspections. They also keep you up-to-date regarding child safety laws and they offer some brilliant safety tips regarding children in the car. On their website, you can register your car seat, sign up for educational workshops, view a calendar of community events near you and you can even check to see if your particular car seat has been recalled.

ARE YOU CURRENT ON THE LATEST CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY LAWS?

Perhaps I am not the only driver in Texas that still thought an infant is required to remain rear-facing in the car seat until they reach the age of 12 months. According to the NHTSA, the law now states that a child must remain rear facing until they are two years of age, or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. The top two national child safety advocates reported some years back that this is recommended, and now it is the law!

Know the laws and share car seat installation check knowledge with your caregivers, family members, and other friends with small children.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

CHILD CAR SEAT INSPECTION – Comedy Defensive Driving School

The post CHILD CAR SEAT INSPECTION appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

CHILDREN PUMPING GAS

Daun Thompson — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 02:44:59 +0000

My nine year old niece is so much like me when I was her age. Her days are filled with lots of daydreaming and asking random questions. One morning while spacing out and eating her cereal she said “Aunt Daun, did you know Jesus’ last name is Christ?” In my family, we fondly refer to those as deep thoughts by Simone. Yesterday she told me that it is illegal for a child to pump gasoline. Is that true, I wondered. Used to be that you had options to pump your own gas or have an attendant pump it for you while he was smoking a cigarette. Regular or Unleaded were the options. And, if they pumped it for you, they’d wash your windows and check your oil. “Check yer lubricant, maam” is a classic line that would sometimes take you aback if you weren’t paying attention. I’d always heard that Oregon and New Jersey still required a service attendant to pump the gas. I believe that had more to do with insurance and liability. But what’s the law regarding children pumping gas and is there a legal age to pump gas?

Who Should Be Permitted To Pump Gas?

Although, to my knowledge there isn’t a legal minimum age to be able to dispense fuel, but driving age seems to be the general consensus among both parents and physicians. There may be some states that do have a law in place. Apparently, some gas stations will have warning signs posted PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 16 SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO OPERATE THIS FUEL DISPENSING EQUIPMENT. Again, like Oregon and New Jersey, perhaps it’s more of a risk minimizing tactic or an insurance mandate. Of course, health liability for a child would come to mind. Pediatricians would say that toxic fumes could trigger asthma or an accidental spill or splash in the face is a possibility. Breathing gas fumes can cause damage to anyone’s lungs, but especially to a child whose lungs are not completely developed.

Kids Don’t Get to Have ANY Fun!

So it’s a bad idea altogether to let your child pump your fuel. Besides, forget cleaning the windshield if they can’t even reach it yet. And a child should never smoke around a gas pump area.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Children Pumping Gas – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post CHILDREN PUMPING GAS appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

LEAVING A CHILD IN A HOT CAR

Daun Thompson — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 22:37:44 +0000

Every summer we hear of this horrific mistake when we turn on the news. And, a mistake or human error is exactly what this is. We are only human and we all make mistakes. Of course this particular one is definitely a whopper. But it’s not as if the parent or guardian isn’t already remorseful, and they usually serve prison time as well. I am not siding with the guilty party, nor am I saying that what they did is not to be made an example of. In fact, that seems to be the best way to get the word out. The point is, at least this starts a conversation about what measures one can do to avoid this. I read an article about the father who left his twins in a hot car in New York City recently and how his community rallied for this grieving man. This father had made the biggest mistake of his life.

Humans Make Mistakes

I am a single parent and recall getting little sleep with all of the diaper changes and timed feedings. And, if I had worked outside of the home, I most certainly could have made mistakes due to my absent-mindedness. We’re all in such a big hurry and have too much on our minds. I realize that leaving a coffee cup on top of the car and then driving away is in no way a comparison to leaving a sleeping child in the car. Although we have probably all done something like this coffee cup faux pas because we have so much on our minds. Before laws were enacted to put children in the back seat due to the dangers of air bags, these fatalities were rare.

So, who is doing something about this?

Kids And Cars is a a national nonprofit organization devoted to saving the lives of young children and pets in and around vehicles. You can find a wealth of information that you can use and perhaps share with parents, guardians, family and friends on this website. They also accept donations. You can check out their website at

Home

And what can are car manufacturers doing about this? There are suggestions and even products sold for simple, everyday reminders that you can use or share. Cars are equipped with sensors that automatically lock and unlock the airbag in the front passenger side. These sensors monitor the weight distribution on the seat. Although not all cars are equipped with these sensors in the back seat, it is said to be an issue that has attracted the attention of congress. And new bills have been aimed at requiring car manufacturers to put that technology into new automobiles.

The Director of the Kids and Cars advocacy, Amber Rowlins has some interesting thoughts on this matter. She says parents don’t leave their children in cars because they don’t care about the legal repercussions of being charged with manslaughter. They have no idea they’re leaving them behind. And fear of going to jail is not going to stop that from happening.

Education and car manufacturing safety standards are the key in stopping this dreadful mistake.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

LEAVING A CHILD IN A HOT CAR – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post LEAVING A CHILD IN A HOT CAR appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Bicycle Helmet and Motorcycle Helmet

Daun Thompson — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 16:43:16 +0000

Do you know your bicycle helmet and motorcycle helmet laws in your state? There is no state law, nor a federal law in the U.S. regarding bicycle helmets and no federal law regarding motorcycle helmets. I was still under the assumption that the city ordinance in Dallas, Texas mandates that everyone has to wear a helmet. I hadn’t really thought about it lately, since I hadn’t had my lazy butt on a bike for over a year. I rode with a friend yesterday and she was not wearing a helmet. I teased her a bit, and reminded her about the time she was harassed by local authorities for not wearing a helmet. But this ordinance has changed (at least in my city) and now, only those under the age of 18 must wear a bicycle helmet. As for motorcycle helmet laws, I believe that the Texas state law mandates that “Riders and passengers under 21 years of age must wear a helmet. According to Texas DPS, as of 2009, if you don’t wear a helmet, you must have insurance.

Everyone recommends wearing a helmet. If a Texan prefers not to wear a helmet and let their freak flag fly (i.e. bald spot and Ben Franklin ponytail), the must meet the following requirements:

• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Must be covered by an applicable health insurance plan.
• Must have completed a motorcycle operator training and safety course.

Formerly a Texas motorcyclist was required to be covered with a minimum of $10,000 in health insurance if they would like to be exempt from an offense of operating or riding a motorcycle without a helmet. These rules were overruled on September 1, 2009 and repealed the helmet exemption sticker program.

Children under age 5 are prohibited from riding on a motorcycle, period! There is one exception, though, kids under 5 may ride in a sidecar attached to the motorcycle. Kids under 1 year of age must be in a car seat, facing backwards (I just made that up…who on Earth would take an infant on a motorcycle ride? Unless, of course, they won’t stop fussing.

So, it boggles the mind as to why is it that many motorcyclists don’t wear a helmet (I noticed that most bicyclists do). And critics of motorcycle helmet rights say that the costs saved by wearing helmets are never actually passed down to consumers. Although it is estimated from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) $3 billion in costs were saved as a result of helmet use in the U.S. And another 1.4 billion could have been saved if all motorcyclists were wearing helmets.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Bicycle Helmet and Motorcycle Helmet

The post Bicycle Helmet and Motorcycle Helmet appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

School Bus Safety

Daun Thompson — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 22:23:33 +0000

School is back in session. And, just like past generations, kids were “tricked” into being excited about going back to school by getting new school clothes and supplies. Many kids will be walking to school, while some will be dropped off blocks away from school traffic and others will be let out in the middle of the road, hoping to survive for another school day. School zones will be active and buses will be present. Will you be practicing school bus safety?

Passing a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop sign out is against the law and carries a hefty fine. In the Lone Star State, the fine is a whopping $1250.00 and Judges will not allow you to take a defensive driving class to have the ticket dismissed and the fine reduced. Therefore, you would have to not only pay the entire fine amount, but the points would go on your driving record making your insurance increase considerably. Most drivers are aware that you must stop behind the bus, while many still pass the bus when these warning lights are activated. It is estimated that over 10 million drivers illegal pass school buses every year. The fine for this has not only increased if issued by a police officer, but many buses have been equipped with cameras for this reason. For economical reasons alone, one would think that everyone would stop behind a stopped school bus. Perhaps the issue here is not only respecting and valuing the lives of other people’s children, but when it’s really broken down for you (which I am going to do here if you read on), buses are much more valuable to us and should be respected for saving lives, fuel and air pollution.

EDUCATION: Taking the bus decreases truancy and increases the likelihood of children doing well in school. If half the battle is showing up for school, the school bus is helping us win the battle.
ENVIRONMENTAL and ECONOMICAL: School buses keep over 17 million cars off roads each year. One bus carries the equivalent of 36 cars. This saves families approximately 62 billion miles of driving, 2.6 billion gallons of fuel and 56.5 billion pounds of CO2.
SAVING LIVES: Students are 70% more likely to get to school safely if they ride a bus, rather than in a car. School bus drivers are the most highly trained, tested and scrutinized drivers on the road.

Since passing vehicles cause an estimated 2/3 of school bus loading/unloading fatalities, here is a wee bit of information to keep kids safe.
• More school-aged pedestrians are killed from 7-8 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. than any other time of the day.
• The Danger Zone: Motorists should not be within 10 feet radius around all sides of a school bus. A safe stop distance away from a school bus should be up to 25 feet when stop arm is out and red lights are flashing. Slow down when the yellow lights are flashing and prepare to stop. Do not attempt to pass the bus. Oncoming cars must drop speeds to 20mph or less. When stop arm is out, every driver behind the bus must stop. Oncoming cars must stop if there is only a painted line or a split/divide in the median (a divided highway will depend on certain situations).
So it’s critical that we learn and follow the laws pertaining to school buses in our own state.
You can find this information at http://www.nasdpts.org/Operations/documents/State_Laws_Regarding_Passing_School_Buses.pdf

Take a minute and educate yourself about these important laws.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

School Bus Safety – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post School Bus Safety appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

A Stopped School Bus – Child Safety and Prevention

Daun Thompson — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 18:21:23 +0000

I recently wrote to Jeff Rossen, the television journalist for NBC news. Most know him from his Rossen Reports where he reports the latest safety issues, common myths and survival tips. As a parent and a defensive driving instructor, I would like to see a report that will educate the public about stopping for a school bus with the stop arm out and the red lights flashing. Most drivers are aware that you must stop behind the bus, while many still pass the bus when these warnings are activated. I spoke to a student yesterday who said his friend counted 88 vehicles in one day alone that passed his bus when they should have stopped. Not surprising, since it is estimated that over 10 million drivers illegal pass school buses every year. And what about stopping on the other side of the median, traveling in the opposite direction? The fine for this has been increased to over one thousand dollars if issued by a police officer. And many buses have been equipped with cameras for this reason which can be up to a three hundred dollar fine. For economical reasons alone, one would think that everyone would stop behind a stopped school bus. Perhaps the issue here is not only respecting and valuing the lives of other people’s children, but when it’s really broken down for you (which I am going to do here if you read on), buses are much more valuable to us and should be respected for not only saving lives of children, but also for fuel conservation and air pollution.

EDUCATION: Taking the bus decreases truancy and increases the likelihood of children doing well in school. If half the battle is showing up for school, the school bus is helping us win the battle.

ENVIRONMENTAL and ECONOMICAL: School buses keep over 17 million cars off roads each year. One bus carries the equivalent of 36 cars. This saves families approximately 62 billion miles of driving, 2.6 billion gallons of fuel and 56.5 billion pounds of CO2.

SAVING LIVES: Students are 70% more likely to get to school safely if they ride a bus, rather than in a car. School bus drivers are the most highly trained, tested and scrutinized drivers on the road. Since passing vehicles cause an estimated 2/3 of school bus loading/unloading fatalities, here is a wee bit of information to keep kids safe.

• More school-aged pedestrians are killed from 7-8 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. than any other time of the day.
• The Danger Zone: Motorists should not be within 10 feet radius around all sides of a school bus. A safe stop distance away from a school bus should be up to 25 feet when stop arm is out and red lights are flashing. Slow down when the yellow lights are flashing and prepare to stop. Do not attempt to pass the bus. Oncoming cars must drop speeds to 20mph or less. When stop arm is out, every driver behind the bus must stop. Oncoming cars must stop if there is only a painted line or a split/divide in the median (a divided highway will depend on certain situations).

So it’s critical that we learn and follow the laws pertaining to school buses in our own state. You can find this information at http://www.nasdpts.org/Operations/documents/State_Laws_Regarding_Passing_School_Buses.pdf

Take a minute and educate yourself about these important laws. And be active in your community about educating others about your state’s school bus laws.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

A Stopped School Bus – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post A Stopped School Bus – Child Safety and Prevention appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

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

The post Safety for kids appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Back To School

Daun Thompson — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 04:06:37 +0000

School’s back in session. If you have little ones, you already know this and your mornings are more harried lately. You’re trying to get the kids to school on time, while trying not to get a speeding ticket, especially in a school zone. You don’t want to be calling your boss to tell him you’re going to be late. And, you especially don’t want to be on your phone while you’re in a school zone. Be extra careful for those stopped buses, too. There’s so much more to be looking out for now when it comes to back to school driving. You’re better off to just be paying extra attention while school is in session. All of these moving violations carry a hefty fine. Too many of these violations on your driving record could result in having your driver license revoked. Now, how will you get those kiddos to school if that happens? Perhaps Uber or Lyft to get back to school?

Children will be distracted too. Some are walking to school, while texting friends and not paying attention. You can expect to see them crossing the street, and not always at crosswalks. Some will exit the bus and run across the road. So, just be aware and don’t add your own distractions to the mix. Most school zones, anymore, become a one-way road situation for parents dropping off and picking up their children. You can bet that there will be police present, making sure that everyone is driving safely and obeying school zone laws. Even when you are not directly near the school, the school zone may extend beyond the point where you would expect it to end, since some kids are walking to school. And, where the school zone ends and the speed limit increases, make darned sure that your car passes the speed limit sign before you begin to accelerate, and not before you approach that sign. Passing a school bus with its red lights flashing, using a cell phone, speeding, not stopping for crossing guards all lead up to a really bad beginning of the school year.

And, if you really think about it, parents have already tricked their kids into being excited about going back to school by purchasing them new school clothes, backpacks, books, cool notebooks and accessories. They’re already going to find out on the first day of school that they were once again tricked into being excited about school. Just pay attention, and don’t make it worse for them. And, once you drop them off, you can go back home and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Back To School – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Back To School appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Kids In a Hot Car

Daun Thompson — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 03:43:53 +0000

I really don’t know what exactly created change or forward thinking in regards to leaving kids in a hot car. Perhaps it was a slow evolution over time. When I was a kid, our Mom would leave us in the hot car for hours and go into the grocery store, with no problems. If you do something like that now, you will wind up on the Six O’Clock News being handcuffed and hauled off to jail. So, are temperatures now reaching higher highs? Are car interiors now being made from materials that fuel the heat? Or perhaps kids are just not acclimated or climatized to warm conditions since they rarely go outdoors to play. Before electric windows and locks, we had manual, crank windows and manual locks. With electric windows and locks, what if Mom took the key with her? You may be able to unlock the doors but certainly couldn’t roll down the windows without the key. I didn’t even know that you can still purchase a car with manual locks and windows, until my daughter’s dad purchased her a brand new Toyota that way. He claimed, if she were to lose control and drive into the lake, the electrical system could be compromised and her power windows and locks would not work. But it was because he was just cheap! This guy would dry out a used paper towel so he could re-use it. Although, it was a good save. He is a clever guy.

So, perhaps we’re just better educated about the dangers of leaving your kids in a hot car. Or, perhaps kids are just more important than kids of my generation. You certainly don’t want to leave your car running, unattended, with or without kids in it. Leaving the air conditioning on, with the keys in the ignition may seem like a better idea than dragging tired and cranky kids into the store. But keys in the ignition and/or leaving the car running carry a hefty fine. While you may think that you will only be in there for 3 minutes, someone will inevitably write a check and you will be in there until you have grown a full beard. Because no one knows how to write a check, anymore, and no one knows how to take a check, either.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Kids In a Hot Car – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Kids In a Hot Car appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.