comedy defensive driving school Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

Insurance Rates Increased

Daun Thompson — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 07:38:03 +0000

Due to insurance companies paying out unprecedented sums and claims, you will notice that your automotive insurance rates have increased. According to industry watchdogs auto insurance for 2022 had an average increase of 9% and for 2023 the average increase is 7%. Here are some of the factors that determine your rates:

Driving record
Credit history
Make and model of your vehicle, as well as the mileage
City and state you live in
Age and gender

Accidents and traffic tickets are one of the biggest contributors for rate increases. Each year when your policy renews the insurance company will look at your driving record to see if you have had any accidents or traffic violations.

One year I had a “no fault” accident (someone hit my car in an ice storm while it was parked on the street) and my insurance company said I was high risk and dropped me. Ouch. It took a few years to get rid of that and get my rate back down. Sometimes insurance agents will help you by offering as many discounts as possible. I of course took a defensive driving course and was able to get a 10% discount for 3 years, this really helped offset the high cost.

There are so many items that affect your insurance rates. Here are some more of those items:
• Your age (under 21/25 and over 62)
• Gender (boys under 25…yikes!)
• Full coverage or bare-bones liability
• Married or single
• Own or rent your home
• Longevity/Loyalty (how long you had coverage with your last insurance company)

I remember the good old days when my full-coverage insurance rate was $61 a month. And it even included roadside assistance and towing. When I added my 16 year old daughter to my insurance plan, my insurance more than quadrupled. I thought “Thank God she’s a girl and not a boy. How much would my insurance rates have increased if she had been born a son?” And I did the math. It would have been cheaper to fly her to Sweden to get a sex change.

If you review the items above with your insurance agent, perhaps a few of those items can be addressed and may help to lower your insurance rates. Good driver discounts and good student discounts can also be addressed. Most insurance companies still give a discount for taking a state-approved defensive driving class. It just makes sense that they would prefer that you take a “refresher course” to help make you a better driver. And some reward you for doing so. The discount is typically 10% off your liability insurance for three years (but can be anywhere between 5% and 25% off). Ask your insurance agent about this and all discounts.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Insurance Rates Increased – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Why a Court Requires You to Take a Driver Improvement Course

taylor cox — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 21:00:10 +0000

Having to take a court-ordered driver improvement course may seem like a big deal. As part of the fallout from your traffic violation, being sent by a judge to attend traffic school may feel like more drama and punishment than you need right now.

Rest assured, with Comedy Defensive Driving at the wheel; your online driving school will help you reduce points, keep your insurance costs down, satisfy a judge, and keep a smile on your dial while you study. And what’s more, you’ll get same-day certification on completion of your course.

How It Works

Assuming you are in the wrong and have pleaded guilty to a traffic violation, this is the universe’s way of telling you to get your act together and the state’s way of helping you by way of a punishment that isn’t all that severe. On the contrary, a defensive driving course is a great way to brush up your understanding of the rules of the road – meaning that you’ll be a safer, smarter driver as a result.

Taking a defensive driving course can be optional. People often do it for insurance reasons as a way to keep their premiums down. Others do it to get points squashed on their driver’s license. But, when you’re dealing with a court-ordered driving course, you’re probably guilty of one of the following infringements:

Reckless driving
Running a red light
Passed a stopped school bus
Two crashes in a two-year period, which resulted in property damage greater than $500
You were a driver in a crash and are found at fault, and someone was transported to the hospital
Highway racing (including being a spectator)

If you’re taking a court-ordered driver improvement course, then it’s time to let Comedy Defensive Driving get behind the wheel.

How We Can Help

Depending on your state (we currently operate in Florida, Texas, and New Jersey), you’ll sign up for our registration process. Here we will request information such as name, email address, phone number, gender, address, date of birth, driver’s license number, and license plate number, which will be used to process the Certificate of Completion.

Inputting your Facebook account details will also ensure that this process is quick and painless. You will also need a credit or debit card to pay for the class after registering. Call us on 1-866-540-0584 at any stage of the process if you get stuck.

Our courses were created to breathe a little bit of life and humor into the hard work of learning. We’ve also made them so that you can finish in the fastest possible time. You can take Comedy Defensive Driving® at any of our classroom locations or take the course online.

So while it seems as though we’re the ones behind the wheel, you’re actually the one driving the process. You just need your own device (desktop PC, mobile, or tablet), and you’re good to go with the 100% online option. You can start and stop as you like. You can study in your underwear.

Things get a little more serious when you’ve completed the course and downloaded your certificate. You are responsible for presenting the completion certificate to the clerk’s office in the county where the citation was issued. Please consult with the traffic division in the clerk’s office in the county where the citation was issued for their exact requirements.

Submitting your certification correctly is the final step in ensuring that you get back behind the wheel after a court-ordered driving course.

Comedy Defensive Driving will have you laughing in class and then laughing behind the wheel as you drive away from your traffic worries in no time!

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Hit And Run

Daun Thompson — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 05:19:11 +0000

I know a couple who live near downtown Dallas and their home is near a busy intersection. On weekends, they say there are a lot of car accidents in that intersection late at night. Sometimes when the crashes occur, it jars them from a deep sleep. They wake up, look out the window and sometimes there is only one car ripped apart in the intersection and the other car is long gone. Other times, they look out the window and both cars are gone. Leaving the scene of an accident that involves death or serious injury is considered a third-degree felony with a penalty of possible imprisonment for two to ten years. If the injury is not a serious one, the offense is still a felony that is punishable by up to one year in a county jail or up to five years in a state prison. Leaving the scene of an accident that does not result in injury, but only results in property damage is a misdemeanor with fines around $1,000 and possible jail time of up to one year.
If you are the victim of a hit and run, it’s good to know how uninsured motorist coverage works. Texans are required to carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, in addition to liability insurance. Still, of course, not everyone is insured. That’s one reason for them to hit and run. Another reason is perhaps they’ve been drinking alcohol. Or they simply don’t have the financial means to pay for damage to another car. Uninsured motorist coverage is just what it sounds like, insurance to cover you in the event that you are hit by a motorist that either does not have insurance, or if you are hit by someone who leaves the scene.
Failure to render aid is a crime, as is failure to give information in an accident. That’s why you should always try to get an accurate description of the car and the license number a.s.a.p.!! Calling the police immediately will also help broaden your chances of catching your hit and run criminal.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Artist / Commedienne

Hit And Run – Comedy Defensive Driving School

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Plan a Sober Ride

Daun Thompson — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 02:09:26 +0000

Honestly, the only way you can get me into an ugly Christmas sweater is after I’ve had a few drinks. Probably half of the things we agree to participate in during the holidays involve alcohol (or, are alcohol induced). Just saying “egg nog” out loud makes me nauseous. But, egg nog with rum, now that sounds okay. And fruit cake will never be okay. Petrified, unnaturally colored bits of fruit, even when hidden in one of my favorite things, “cake” reminds me of nursing homes and moth balls. In fact, I’d prefer to eat moth balls over fruit cake. Sometimes celebrating holidays with close friends and family makes us do or try things we normally wouldn’t do. Drinking and driving is unfortunately one of those things. Take the time to plan a sober ride.

There are many resources available year-round to help you to get home safe. Soberrides.org has a variety of resources available on their website including:
• Call a cab
• Rideshare
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Local Transit
The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day sees a dramatic increase in DUI offenses and other alcohol-related issues. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Call a cab, share a ride or secure a designated driver to change these trends. Planning ahead for a sober ride home will also allow you to let loose and have fun. Don’t wait until after you start drinking to plan your ride.

And, if you know someone who is planning to drive drunk, take their keys and tell them that you will only give them back if they eat an entire fruitcake and wash it down with a gallon of egg nog.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Plan a Sober Ride – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Costly Traffic Tickets

Daun Thompson — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 16:08:27 +0000

If you’ve received a traffic citation lately, they look like a Wal-Mart receipt. When I was a new driver, a traffic ticket was a small carbon copy and the price of the ticket was posted on the back side of the ticket. Assuming you were speeding, it would indicate what the cost was by how many miles over the speed limit you were clocked at. And the maximum cost of a ticket was around $50 (and that was probably for manslaughter). Now, speeding fines range anywhere between $180 and $400, and the price of the ticket is not printed on the ticket because some police officers are not trained paramedics. They don’t want you to have a heart attack right there in the car. But they want you to call or go online to see what the price of these costly traffic tickets are, then you can have that heart attack in the privacy of your own home.

Speeding is just the tip of the iceberg. There are other fines I have come across that may be useful to know (at least it may save you some money).

• Loud Music $144.00
• Really Loud Banda Music (unforgiveable)
• No Mud Flaps On Your Dully Truck $350.00
• Road Kill Stuck To Your Mud Flaps (unforgiveable)
• No Seat Belt $100.00-$25.00
• Fastening The Seat Belt Behind You So It Doesn’t Beep (unforgiveable)
• Not Signaling Before Changing Lanes Or Turning $177.00
• Cutting People Off Without Signaling (unforgiveable)

Some of the fines I am still waiting to see:

• TWI (Texting While Intoxicated)
• DWS (Driving While Sexting)
• DAD (Dumb A## Driving)

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Costly Traffic Tickets – Comedy Defensive Driving School

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Conserving Fuel

Daun Thompson — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 12:48:41 +0000

Running out of gas is just about the most embarrassing situation one can put themselves in. And waiting for roadside assistance is another horror story, altogether. This is especially true if you run out of gas at night, because every serial killer comes out of the woodwork to help and give you a lift (Where to? Likely to your own early grave). It’s always good to know your vehicle’s fuel limit and how far you can push that limit. Keeping the tank filled when possible helps, but when you’re on a summer road trip with many miles between gas stations, sometimes it can’t be helped. Besides, nothing’s more stressful and puts a big damper on a relaxing vacation than knowing at any minute, you could be stranded on the side of the road. So here are a few tips for conserving fuel, whether you’re running on empty or just want to save money and help the environment.

• Don’t punch the gas
• Use the air conditioning less or turn it off entirely
• Lose the excess weight
• Roof rack or ski racks catch drag
• Keep windows and sunroof closed
• Don’t drive in rush hour traffic
• Make fewer trips
• Don’t speed
• Keep tires at proper inflation

Most auto insurance companies offer roadside assistance for a reasonable price. If you don’t have it or cannot afford it, check with your state’s department of transportation (DOT) as most states offer free roadside assistance on highways and toll ways. Keep the number handy. And remember to always keep your cell phone charged. For any road trip, investing in a roadside hazard safety kit with reflective triangles and a working flashlight would be another good idea.

And, remember, if you run out of gas and pull to either shoulder of a high speed roadway, never use your hazard lights. Drunk drivers are attracted to flashing lights (like blonds are attracted to shiny objects) and they may crash into your stopped car. For this reason, if you turn on your signal light (as if you are attempting to re-enter the roadway from the shoulder), other drivers, concerned that you may pull out in front of them, will hopefully move over a lane, thus putting an empty lane between your car and theirs, making it safer for both you and for those other drivers.

So, don’t put yourself in an unnecessary situation and have a safe and fun road trip this summer.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Conserving Fuel – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Drinking and Driving

Daun Thompson — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 17:09:01 +0000

Today is Independence Day and I’m 1776% sure that most people are celebrating with alcohol. While we in the U.S. are commemorating our liberation from Great Britain, I’m curious how the British spend this day (sulking?). Celebrating our independence is our God-given right. Drinking and driving is not and may result in someone losing their rights as well as their independence. In fact, July 4th is the deadliest day of the year on our roads. While most people at least have a sip of champagne on New Years Eve, drinking usually begins closer to midnight. Holidays like today, people will likely be drinking all day and then driving to and from the celebration. Perhaps it’s not practical to assume that everyone will limit their drinking today, so here is a practical option to drinking and driving.

Four score and seven beers ago…The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) created a list of sober/safe ride programs across the country. Use the link below to locate one in your area and save the number in your cell phone so you always have it on you. Share the number via text message with friends and family too. It may save their lives and may also save you a trip to bail someone out of jail.

You can find a ride at this link:
soberrides.org

Uber and Lyft, cabs, and other such “wingman” services are likely available in your area as well. Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) have partnered with Uber, saying that taking an Uber is saving lives. The app is easy to manipulate when you’re impaired. When you download the app, it requires that you add your credit card information, so you also don’t have to exchange money when you’re impaired. Plus, with GPS, the driver knows where you are and you simply push a button and they’re on their way. A picture of the driver will pop up with the description of the vehicle and the license plate number (so you don’t get into the wrong car). An additional bonus is, when the picture of the driver pops up, if they’re not really your “type,” you can cancel it and order another one until you get a cuter driver (Ha! I’m just kidding…I don’t really do that…or do I??). It’s like an e-harmony/uber combo.

So, please have a safe and happy Independence Day. As far as my friends and family are concerned, it’s time to get star spangled hammered.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Drinking and Driving – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Car Maintenance

Daun Thompson — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 16:35:34 +0000

It’s true that regular preventative car maintenance improves fuel efficiency and produces less vehicle emissions. So, to help the environment and to save a little cash at the same time, please have your car maintenance scheduled today! One would think that protecting our ozone layer for the future health of our kids would encourage people to not leave an imprint, but some states don’t even require an annual vehicle emissions inspection. It’s also true that some cars just last longer than other cars, no matter what. I truly believe that, if the World comes to an end, the only things that will survive will be cockroaches and Hondas.

Since you can find just about anything on the internet, most people don’t even read their car manual. I am guilty of this as well. I haven’t even broken the factory seal on my manual and my car is 14 years old. One never knows if you may want to sell the manual on ebay and you certainly don’t want coffee stains on it. Yesterday, I was fishing out a french fry from between the seats and I found a bar for a lumbar support! When purchasing a new car or a used car that comes with an extended warranty, certain items won’t be covered if you don’t do the scheduled car maintenance.

Here are just a few items that you may want to observe to keep your investment in top running order:

• Alignment: Annual alignment checks are your best way to maximize tire life and ensure that your car performs on the road as it should. Red flags are uneven tire wear, shaking and the car pulling to one side.
• Fuel economy: Speeding, aggressive and jerky driving can reduce gas mileage as much as 33% on the highway and 5% on city streets.
• Vision: Extreme weather is wearing on wiper blades. Check them every 6 months.
• Brakes: Check them every time you get an oil change to minimize cost of future repairs.
• Gas Cap: A loose gas cap can trigger the “check engine” or “service engine soon” lights.
• Odor: A must smell could be caused by a dirty or clogged air filter. Checking it will prevent HVAC issues. Low coolant can overheat your engine and will have a salty odor.
• Fluids: Have all fluid levels checked and topped off when getting your oil changed.
• Battery: Have your battery tested every fall. Batteries should last at least 3 years if properly checked.
• Oil: Have your oil changed regularly to prevent costly engine repairs.
• Air Filter: Have it checked when your oil is changed.
• Lights: Have them checked for visibility and brightness.
• Spare Tire: Always have your spare tire checked for proper inflation when oil is changed.

Following these tips will ensure that your car will remain on the road long after your own expiration date.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Car Maintenance – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Long-Haul Trucking

Daun Thompson — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 15:30:03 +0000

The mid-1970’s was the absolute goofiest time for music. Long-haul trucking was sensationalized by movies such as White Line Fever, Breaker Breaker, Convoy and Smokey and the Bandit. Jerry Reed’s lyrics are seared into my brain as my Dad, although not a trucker, drove a pickup truck and had a CB radio like everyone else. Of course, he had his own “handle.” I don’t remember what his handle name was, but it was probably “crabby daddy” or “short fuse” if I would have been asked to suggest one that suited him. As for real truckers (not wannabe’s like my dad), long-haul trucking meant days with no sleep. Getting your merchandise to its destination early yielded a sweet bonus. Now, with new safety regulations in place since 2013, tag-team driving with a partner or spouse seems to be the norm.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced in 2011 that new federal regulations designed to improve safety for the motoring public by reducing truck driver fatigue were to go in to effect in 2013. The final ruling as to hours-of-service are as follows:

• Limits the maximum average work week for truck drivers to 70 hours, a decrease from the current maximum of 82 hours;
• Allows truck drivers who reach the maximum 70 hours of driving within a week to resume if they rest for 34 consecutive hours, including at least two nights when their body clock demands sleep the most – from 1-5 a.m., and;
• Requires truck drivers to take a 30-minute break during the first eight hours of a shift.
The final rule retains the current 11-hour daily driving limit and 14-hour work day.

Although those movies of the 70’s glamorize trucking, it must be a very hard lifestyle. If you are one of those rare human beings who “likes” to drive, this may be an ideal career move for you. As for me, driving in traffic changes my outlook on life. I become a different person, altogether. You can’t help but notice that most drivers don’t allow trucks to merge and just love to perform risky maneuvers behind, beside and in front of trucks. Even with no trailer and multiple brakes, it still takes a truck nine times longer to stop than it does for a car to stop. So, if you’re in the habit of whipping in front of a big rig, your Honda Accord could be transformed into a Honda Accordion.

Sadly, respect for truckers seems to have died with Jerry Reed. Please show respect for those big rigs that you are sharing the road with. And give those truckers the courtesy they deserve. Put yourself in their shoes. And just be thankful that your sale items at Wal-Mart are all in stock because someone painstakingly hauled them there.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Long-Haul Trucking – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Attention When Driving

Daun Thompson — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 05:06:25 +0000

Spring is in the air and it’s evident when you travel down our highways. Texas is famous for her Bluebonnets and other breathtaking Spring Perennials (Indian Paintbrush, Indian Blanket, Pink Evening Primrose and Mexican Hat. And this year it appears that they are going to be plentiful. Of course every native Texan has had their baby pictures taken in a field of Bluebonnets. Or, if not a field, those pictures were more likely taken along the roadside, with big rigs passing by. So maybe you weren’t just “fussy” in those pictures, but scared for your young life. Just the sound of a tractor-trailer would scare a baby right out of their diaper! And that’s not the only danger, what about the unexpected guests one may find lurking among those wildflowers. We have some mean critters down south, and of course they’re big, because everything’s bigger in Texas. Scorpions, Tarantulas, Fire Ants and Rattle Snakes also like to share family time in them there bonnets. Heck, the Poison Ivy and Cactus alone would do a number on a baby’s brand-new skin. So, I wonder how carefully parents are really inspecting the flora before plopping junior in it for a family photo. While admiring the scenery, you may want to pay extra careful attention when driving since everyone else around you is distracted too.

If you’d like to know some of the best places to take pictures of your offspring in the Texas wildflowers, you can get information at the following websites. They also identify common wildflowers.

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• Texas Parks and Wildlife https://www.tpwmagazine.comhttp://www.wildflower.org/ offers a list of designated bluebonnet photo op destinations.

These are areas designated for photo taking. And they are much safer (not so much critter-wise, but definitely away from the dangerous road).

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Attention When Driving – Comedy Defensive Driving.com

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