comedy traffic school Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

FOLLOWING DISTANCE

Daun Thompson — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 07:24:05 +0000

One of the leading causes for a multiple vehicle pileup is from tailgating. Why do people insist on following too close? Especially on the freeway, less than a car length between them and the car ahead, doing 80+ mph. Basic drivers education teaches the current formula or method to create a safe following distance (or what some also call a stopping distance). But, especially in heavy traffic, that formula goes right out the window, along with your manners and any remaining dignity. If you do go to the trouble of creating a safe following distance, another car will slip into that space, forcing you to tailgate. So, you once again you repeat the process to leave a safe distance between you and the car ahead and someone else slips into that space. Maybe that’s why people generally leave less than a car length between them and the car ahead. There’s no winning. Combine this with distractions and no clear visibility ahead and here comes your pileup and your picture on the six o’clock news.

This is why tailgating is most definitely a moving violation. With the rise of speed limits, the current following distance is now 3 seconds in dry weather. This is to be doubled to a 6 second rule in wet weather. And it is to be tripled to a 9 second rule in icy/snowy weather.

I believe that most driver education instructors teach drivers the following way. Once the car ahead of you has passed a stationary object, you should be able to count the appropriate number of seconds before your car passes the same object.

So, good luck there my friend! It may take you twice as long to get to your destination if you practice this method, but at least you will arrive (undead).

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

FOLLOWING DISTANCE – Comedy Defensive Driving School

The post FOLLOWING DISTANCE appeared first on 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

The post Insurance Rates Increased appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Driving Safety Course Tips

taylor cox — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 06:59:26 +0000

They can only cover so much information in a driving safety course. So I have compiled a short list of driving safety course tips and techniques that may help in the long run to help prevent accidents and possibly save a life or two.

Don’t have your own car visible in your side mirrors. This is a common mistake that drivers make. You should always angle them away from you until the point where your car is no longer visible in either side mirror. This way there is no overlap between your side mirrors and the rear view mirror, and any car that is passing you on either side will remain in at least one of your side mirrors until it enters your field of vision. Professional drivers lean into their console and adjust their rear view and side mirrors at one time to cover any blind spots. If you don’t have a rear window, this is especially helpful, especially if you have a white serial killer van with no windows.

Pay attention to traffic before road signs. While road signs indicate when to yield, stop, etc. and who has the right of way, paying attention to traffic will certainly help to avoid an accident. This doesn’t mean that you should ignore stop signs or road signs, but that you shouldn’t rely on them and should always follow traffic and use your best judgement. You may be obeying the signs but there are others out there who won’t.

Always leave your headlights on. Because something lit up is always more visible (like your Uncle John at every Christmas party). Studies show that you can reduce your risk of being involved in an accident by up to 32 percent by driving with your headlights on at all times. But, if you are trying to save the life of the bulbs so they last the life of the car, at least use your headlights whenever there is inclement weather and always when you are on a high-speed roadway.

Use your parking brake/emergency brake when parking, even if not parked on a hill. It’s kind of a use it or lose it deal. So, just to keep it in good working order, try to put it on whenever you park. Getting into this habit may also save property and lives. Anton Yelchin’s family has suffered as the result of him not using his emergency brake. Don’t be another statistic.

If you blow out a tire, don’t slam on the brakes. Although this may be instinctual, applying the gas slightly and gripping the wheel as not to steer against the blown tire will avoid a fishtail. Do this until you can regain control until you can take your foot off the gas and let the car slow down on its own, naturally. And then you can change your pants. You should always carry a spare pair of pants along with your spare tire. And try to steer off the road on the same side as the blown tire, not against it. Don’t make sudden corrections and don’t try to re-enter the roadway on uneven pavement.

If you pull onto the freeway shoulder, never use your hazard lights because drunk drivers are attracted to flashing lights. Just like blonds being attracted to shiny objects. Rather, you should put on your signal light as if you are planning to re-enter the freeway (even if you’re not). Because approaching vehicles will expect that you may pull out in their lane and move over a lane for their safety (which in turn is safer for you).

Driving Safety Course Tips – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Driving Safety Course Tips appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

RAILROAD CROSSINGS

Daun Thompson — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 12:00:51 +0000

I grew up in a house that stood about 1,500 feet from the Burlington Northern rail line. And when those trains would sound that crazy horn at wee hours of night it would scare the bejeezus out of me! Heck, I think because of that, I wet the bed until I was in middle school. My parents eventually broke me of the bed wetting, though. They bought me an electric blanket. Is that good parenting?

The Train Always Wins

In the United States, someone is hit by a train once every two hours. And, it is said that these crashes are almost completely avoidable. A train hitting your car is similar to a car driving over a Coke can. The train always wins. Oftentimes, the driver error is in misjudging or miscalculating the speed and distance of the train, thinking they can quickly cross without incident. Some collisions are due to a driver blatantly ignoring the signs and going around the crossbucks. And sometimes the tables turn and the car actually hits the train in the side. If you think about it, a passenger train will have all cars lighted, while a freight train will only have lights on the engine and perhaps the last train car since they seem to have done away with the caboose. On a dark night, those dark cars may blend in when you are traveling on a country road or rural area.

How to Avoid These Collisions

In most states, the laws are quite similar when it comes to the distance a driver must keep between their car and a train. A driver approaching a railroad crossing must stop no closer than 15 feet from the nearest rail (and no further than 50 feet). And they must remain stopped until permitted to proceed and it is safe to proceed. Even if there are no crossbucks or there are mechanical or electrical issues with a signal device, the car must always yield the right of way to a train, because “duh.” If you are in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and you approach a railroad track, you must still remain behind the safety line (15 feet), away until there is enough space on the other side of the track to completely clear your car from being on the track, should a train happen to approach.

Now I own my own home, which I have estimated to be about ¾ of a mile from the nearest rail line. I can hear the whistle blow late at night and now I find comfort in the nostalgia that it brings. I can’t imagine the money a homeowner would save by purchasing a home right next to the tracks. Surely they would spend a small fortune on earplugs and therapy.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

RAILROAD CROSSINGS – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post RAILROAD CROSSINGS appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Standard Safety Features

Daun Thompson — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:58:36 +0000

My car is nearly 14 years old. I’ve garaged it, so it looks new (on the outside). But the inside, now that’s another story. I paid a lot of money for my car. It was brand spanking new and all of the latest safety features which, at the time was only one air bag in the steering wheel, another for the passenger side and anti-lock brakes. I think the Nissan dealership called the color “Mid-Life Crisis Yellow.” I got what I paid for, it’s been a great car. It was, what the dealership called “loaded” when I bought it and, looking back, I must have been loaded as well to have bought a car in such a crazy color. But, hey, I haven’t had a car accident in 14 years. That’s likely due to the color. Other drivers can definitely see me coming. Now, 14 years later, there is a long list of standard safety features in nearly all new cars. These features are meant to avoid collisions and save lives. Now that I am in the market for a new car to get me through the next 14 years, I’ll be checking these safety features off my list.

• L.E.D. Automotive lighting: Running lights and tail lights and sometimes headlights.
• Proximity-Based Power Folding, Illuminated Side Mirrors: Great when parking on a busy, tight street or pulling into your cramped garage. In some cars, the side mirrors have a light below them to shine light on the door lock and the ground below.
• Heated Head Lights: Great in winter to keep the snow and ice from covering your lights.
• Back Up Cameras and Surround View Cameras: Back up cameras are now standard in most new cars, while surround view cameras may be an add-on.
• Surround Sensors: Great for letting you know you’re getting too close to the curb or another object. The persistent nagging can be annoying at times, like a back-seat driver.
• Parking Assist: Parallel parking (or what I call Parallel “Chicken”), for most drivers, is the hardest maneuver.
• Keyless Entry: Not in all cars, but not only in luxury cars like it used to be.
• Airbag Sensors: Weight distribution on the passenger seats will turn airbags to “on” mode.
• In-Seat Storage: Not standard in all cars, but what a convenience this would be.
• Self-Dimming Headlights: Again, not standard in all cars.
• Heated Seats: I had these in my 1989 Volvo and man, were they great in the wintertime.
• A Full-Sized Spare Tire: Not just a doughnut tire.

Disc Brakes are also standard in all cars manufactured today. Oh, yes, and Air Conditioning. Although the above mentioned safety features may save your life, you certainly could not live without air conditioning!

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Standard Safety Features – Comedy Defensive Driving School

The post Standard Safety Features appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

A Wrong Way Driver

Daun Thompson — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 00:25:27 +0000

January marked the first death in Texas due to a wrong-way driver. Every driver knows that road reflectors on the highway at night will reflect a silvery white. If you’re going the wrong way on the highway at night, they will reflect red, meaning that you are going the wrong way! Trust me, you don’t want to be a wrong way driver. And if you are, that first time could be your last. I mean, you may not live to tell stories about it at a party. Not only will paying attention save the lives of others, it may also save your own life and the lives of your passengers. And, trust me here too, no one will EVER ride with you again EVER (did I already say EVER?). So, pay close attention to road signs and never get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking alcohol, because there’s no right way to be a wrong way driver. Be safe. Drive smart.

While relatively rare (wrong way collisions accounted for only 3 % of crashes on high-speed divided highways in recent years), they typically result in fatalities. And the driver in error is typically intoxicated in about 60% of these crashes. Of course, older disoriented drivers cause these accidents as well. But even as law enforcement agencies are fighting this problem, highway officials in many states say the sometimes pricey technology can be another tool to save lives. After all, what exactly is a “life” worth? Spike strips when entering the exit ramps, lowering warning signs and even lighting those signs with flashing hazard lights are just a few tools. Intoxicated drivers tend to look downward at the roadway directly ahead of them. Installing the flashing warning signs on the roadway to let other drivers know that someone is entering the wrong way is another brilliant effort, as alerting other drivers is just as important as trying to stop the wrong way driver, right?

Also, the TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) Be Safe Drive Smart is a year-long public education and awareness effort aimed at saving lives and reducing crashes. The umbrella campaign covers all aspects of safe driving with a special focus on traffic safety in the state’s energy sectors, work zones and along the I-35 corridor, specifically. TxDOT’s goal is to make drivers aware of their own unsafe driving habits. It is said that big cities with dense populations and high numbers of vehicles per capita experience the worst crashes due to wrong-way drivers. By virtue of physics, two vehicles colliding at high speeds is often catastrophic. Many of these accidents happen late at night or in the wee morning hours. So, avoiding being on the road during those hours will possibly help the rest of us. Now we also have ride-share companies that are of reasonable cost. So there is no excuse to drive drunk, impaired, distracted or disoriented. Again, what’s a life worth?

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

A Wrong Way Driver – Comedy Defensive Driving School

The post A Wrong Way Driver appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Male v.s. Female Drivers

Daun Thompson — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 16:36:11 +0000

It has been an ongoing argument since the caveman invented the wheel (or was it Fred Flintstone?) that men are better drivers than women. Or are they? Statistically, more men die in car crashes than women. But, statistically, men drive more than women. My own personal observation regarding male vs female drivers is that men are more confident in their driving skills. That’s not saying that they’re better drivers than women, but when asked if they consider themselves good drivers they always say yes (without hesitation). Women don’t brag about their driving skills and typically answer with a simple “I’m just okay.” Of course skill is an important factor, along with maturity and responsibility.

Of both genders, a majority of men don’t wear safety belts. Statistically, men drink and drive more than women. They tend to tailgate more and are or aggressive drivers. And men typically drive faster than women and take more risks. That is why the Department of Motor Vehicles warns that testosterone fueled male drivers are risky business, making their insurance higher than females since they stand a much higher chance of getting in an accident. Owning sports cars or muscle cars are also costly to insure. So, while vehicular fatalities and insurance rates are higher for males, women are said to still make a lot more mistakes behind the wheel causing fender benders, but not necessarily fatalities.

Although the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety claims that teenage girls are twice as likely as teenage boys to engage in texting or talking on the phone while driving, scientists say that men get distracted more easily than women.

Perhaps with seat belt laws, air bags and newer safety technology in cars, we won’t even be having this “who’s the better driver” conversation. Especially when all cars are self-driving.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Male v.s. Female Drivers – Comedy Defensive Driving School

The post Male v.s. Female Drivers appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Road Rage

Daun Thompson — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 19:10:59 +0000

Now that the holidays are over, we can get back to being our old, angry selves. How many of us have thought “Let’s just cut the phony business and stop being the nice, caring and giving individuals that we portrayed ourselves to be throughout the holiday season.” Who cares about other people’s feelings? I have feelings of my own to deal with. I noticed that the temporary “niceness” even filtered into driving courtesies until approximately January 1st. As if going back to work wasn’t a big enough let-down, drivers are back to their old cranky selves.

Road rage is the leading cause for accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 94% of all traffic accidents are caused by driver error. And, of those accidents, 33% could be linked to behaviors typically assigned to road rage, such as illegal maneuvering or misjudging the intent of another driver. I have asked students in my Comedy Defensive Driving class why everyone seems to be in a big hurry. Most, like me, say they don’t manage their time well. And I could benefit from taking my own advice, but leaving for the big commute earlier will not only save you stress, but will also save you money by not having to pay extra to use costly express lanes. Being in a big rush when others don’t seem to inevitably causes us to tailgate. There are unlimited triggers for causing road rage. Some are typical and obvious. I thought I’d compile a list of the top eight. Perhaps you can add to this list and look for these triggers in your own commute to try to be a kinder, more patient driver.

• Tailgating
• Cutting other people off
• Not signaling before changing lanes or turning
• Not yielding
• Blocking drivers from changing lanes
• Passing on the shoulder
• Talking or texting while driving
• Driving in someone’s blind spot

Sometimes being in a road rage situation is unavoidable. But your best bet is to try to pay attention and not offend other drivers. Be courteous and don’t change lanes unless you have room to. Don’t follow too close and don’t hog the passing lane (the left lane). And hand gestures warrant a good butt-whoopin’.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Road Rage – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Road Rage appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Home Made Winter Car Care

Daun Thompson — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 00:04:51 +0000

Winter weather conditions up north are unbearable. With a wind chill of twenty degrees below zero, I feel like a jerk for complaining about how chilly it is here in North Texas. At this point, a Florida trip sounds like the best solution. My sister Karla lives in Sarasota and boasted that she was spending her birthday on the beach at Anna Maria Island, while my eighty year old mother is house-bound in the frigid Midwest. Now who sounds like the jerk? Of course the road conditions are the major factor, but she also has to prepare her car for winter driving, which she is totally dreading. We get a few little “freak” winter storms here in the south and are never equipped for them (they call it denial). So, what if I don’t have those things on hand when these storms roll in? I certainly don’t have a snow shovel, ice scraper, rock salt or kitty litter. So I’ve recently put together a way to make my own home made winter car care kit.

I garage my car when I’m home. But when it’s out in the elements, sitting in freezing rain and snow, I find that the inside windows fog up, while they’re frosted outside. Filling something breathable like knit socks or knit mittens with silica crystals (the blue and white kitty litter crystals) and placing them in the car will absorb moisture in the air for days. Putting them on the dashboard will automatically defog the windows. And, putting them in your spouse’s underwear drawer….never mind…

And, a major annoyance is when the car doors freeze shut. Doors ice up because moisture gets on rubber window seal. Any brand of cooking spray (like Pam, etc.) can be used to create a barrier and a lubricant. Spray it on the seam, wipe off excess with a paper towel (and not with the bottom of your shoe). And…voila!

No ice scraper? Or, if you’ve ever self-plowed snow off your windshield with a credit card while the wind is cutting you in half, put a towel over the windshield when you park. A giant beach towel is perfect. When you need to go, just remove it. It may a bit stiff, but bring a big lawn and leaf bag to put it in.

No rock salt? Use a bucket of hot water, dish soap and just a splash of rubbing alcohol. Mix it all together and you have your very own deicer fluid (or “cocktails” for when you run out of booze at a holiday party…or is that just my friends who will drink just about anything when they run out of booze?) You can then pour it on your porch and the sidewalk to your car.

Until next week…drive safe

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Home Made Winter Car Care – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Home Made Winter Car Care appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

A Patient Driver

Daun Thompson — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 04:33:42 +0000

Happy Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Winter Solstice…Happy Everything!! I went up to the post office yesterday to mail out my Christmas cards and stolen goods (because they say the best things in life are free…that’s why I shop lift). And you know what I miss? They used to have a bulletin board at the post office with pictures of wanted felons. Now that bulletin board displays pictures of neighborhood people in the military, with a giant banner “Thanks for serving our country,” which is awesome, but I miss those pictures of wanted felons. That’s how I’d find old boyfriends. I’m told that the felon pictures are now displayed at Wal-Mart. Or maybe that’s the Employee of the Month bulletin board. I always get the two confused. The New Year is just a week away. And, like most people, I am considering my New Year resolutions. One of them is “No Lying.” Nah, that’s not even one of them…help me, I can’t stop! I’m actually still working on my list. But I do plan to put forth more effort to be a patient driver.

Lately, I find myself muttering the word “idiot” a lot when I am driving. No more of that business! And, I am going to learn to manage my time better, plan ahead for traffic and leave earlier. Basically, I will need to stop dawdling (or, as my friends call it, “Daun”dling). Time management alone will likely save me hundreds in toll bills, since I won’t be relying on costly express lanes to get me there on time. I don’t even have the stomach to look at how much I spent this year in tolls. After the holiday cheer ends, next comes tax season. I will wait until then to look at that expense. Why ruin my holiday spirit?

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

A Patient Driver – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post A Patient Driver appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.