driver impairment Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

Drowsy Driving – Tips on Staying Alert

Daun Thompson — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 15:17:11 +0000

Have you ever been on a road trip and you’re about 20 miles from your destination, but you’re so sleepy that you can barely keep your eyes open? And you know that you should pull off the road, get out of the car and walk around a bit. Maybe get something to drink and some fresh air, but you just keep on driving? “It’s only 20 miles! I can make it.” Seconds later, as your car is leaving the pavement, you are jolted awake “Yikes! How long was I asleep?” Even if you get plenty of rest before you start out on that road trip, you can only endure so many hours before your brain kicks into “screen saver” mode. Most state laws consider that drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving and there are strict penalties. Much like intoxication, sleepiness slows down reaction time while it also decreases awareness and impairs judgment.

According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), fatigued driving or drowsy driving is the principal cause of up to 100,000 vehicle crashes every year. Reports say at least 1,500 people are killed and injuring 71,000! While these numbers are staggering, there are yet more numbers of fatigue-related crashed that go unreported.

But these are primarily passenger vehicle crashes. Less than 1% of all sleep-related crashes involve truckers. Currently, Federal laws are in place, prohibiting truckers to drive more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period. My Grandfather was a trucker who spent his career hauling fuel cross-country. Back then, truckers could for drive for days without sleep. And, in those days, people thought that drinking coffee, or taking over the counter meds would keep them awake. It was also common to take illegal drugs such as Amphetamines to keep awake. But we all know that what goes up must eventually come down. It’s true that truckers would get what they called “white line fever” (a song by Merle Haggard, R.I.P., sniff…). But now I’m thinking that white line fever must have had two meanings.

Here is a list compiled by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety of the top 10 things you can do to avoid falling asleep at the wheel:
1. If you feel sleepy, stop driving. Pull over, get out and get a beverage.
2. If you get a caffeinated beverage, since it takes about 30 minutes to kick-in, take a nap.
3. Get plenty of sleep the night before your trip (6 hours or more).
4. Don’t leave for a long road trip right after work.
5. Drive during the hours that you are normally awake and stay in a hotel at your normal bedtime.
6. If you are planning to drive straight through, take a nap between midnight and dawn.
7. Avoid carbohydrates since they make you drowsy. Protein enriched foods and beverages are best.
8. Forget the cold and allergy meds or any meds that may make you drowsy.
9. Have a passenger in the front seat to talk to.
10. Pull over every two hours or every 100 miles. Even if you don’t feel like you need to. It’ll give you, your passengers and your car a break. And try to only drive 300-400 miles per day.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Drowsy Driving – Comedy Defensive Driving School

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What is one of the leading causes for traffic accents?

Daun Thompson — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 00:16:42 +0000

When asked “What is one of the leading causes for traffic accents?” Some people say inexperienced drivers while nearly all say elderly drivers. Age alone should not be the reason to stop driving. Loss of driving ability has been associated with depression and worsening physical impairments in older people. Losing one’s “independence” often creates a downward spiral. Since driving is a part of everyday life, how will they get themselves to church, to the store or to visit friends? Socializing should not be halted. After all, what else is there for them to do, now that they don’t have to punch a time clock. You can only watch so many episodes of Golden Girls before you wish you were dead.
Honestly, unless someone lives in a metropolitan area with easy access to public transportation, how else will they get around? And, even so, if one is disoriented, getting off at the wrong bus stop can be a frightening and traumatic experience. Vision problems interfere with a person’s ability to see the road and avoid objects and other vehicles. Hearing problems, the effect of a stroke and even arthritis can impair a person’s ability to perform the mechanics of driving. So why not look into improving the elderly driver’s physical abilities? If they can’t react as fast and/or have trouble seeing, perhaps cataracts are to blame. A good eye doctor can evaluate this issue and repair it. It’s probably not a bad idea to get them in for a new prescription and new frames, although the frames they’ve been wearing since the 70’s are probably coming back in style now. Physical therapy or even a good personal trainer at a nearby gym will strengthen arms, hands and legs which will aid in quicker reaction time and braking strength. Doing Yoga helps with balance and coordination. Maybe even staying off of the high speed highways and sticking to slower roads is a good start. Getting medications evaluated by their physician and having dosages adjusted if needed may help. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) states that more than 85% of Americans 65 and older continue to drive. But vulnerability and risk rise with age. For drivers 85 and up, the fatality rate is nine times higher than for drivers between the ages of 25 and 69. Because of osteoporosis, fragile bones are more likely to fracture in a collision. And seniors are more susceptible to aortic rupture with chest trauma from a steering wheel or air bag, according to the Clinician’s Guide for Seniors.
It’s probably a good idea to have their physician bring it up to them if you are concerned that they should no longer be driving. Perhaps each time they go in for a visit, urge the doctor to ask questions about how their driving is going. When it’s time for them to hand in the keys, the subject will have already been broached and the doctor can restrict their patient’s driving privileges and you won’t have to be the bad guy.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

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Ride sharing

Daun Thompson — Tue, 10 May 2016 15:48:25 +0000

Ride sharing is a brilliant idea! Not only does it encourage people to not drink and drive, it also is great for the environment and fuel conservation. I am curious as to how much money an Uber or Lyft driver actually makes. And if it is a lucrative business move to become an independent driver. Of course, being a single mom, I have more part-time jobs now than I can handle just to make ends meet. Yes, jobs are scarce, because I have all of the jobs. If I gave up a few of them, it would likely help to balance the economy. So, the last thing I need is another job. But what are the requirements to become an independent driver? I know that cab drivers require special certifications and licensing. They must attend defensive driving classes, additional training and background checks. I’ve only taken Uber once, and the fare was surprisingly low. But then, it was not during peak traffic conditions.

The latest news buzz is all about Uber and Lyft suspending their ride sharing business in Austin, Texas because they want to regulate their own drivers. While the new city ordinance requires companies like Uber and Lyft to be regulated like taxis. That means, among other things, drivers would have to be fingerprinted as part of a background check. According to a report by NPR, last year, Uber and Lyft withdrew from San Antonio over a similar requirement that drivers be fingerprinted. The companies returned months later under a program that made fingerprinting voluntary. Meanwhile, Houston also has rules requiring drivers for ride-hailing apps to be fingerprinted. Uber has previously threatened to withdraw from Houston over that ordinance. According to Culturemap Houston, the city’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, responded, “If it comes down to public safety on one hand and Uber staying on the other, I don’t think it is even close.” Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles are considering similar regulations on ride-hailing apps, according to The Associated Press.

So, although independent drivers may not be as stringently regulated as cab drivers, it still worries me that they may not be available in such a large “party city” like Austin. With 6th street all abuzz, South By Southwest (SXSW), Austin City Limits (ACL) and many other annual festivals where people come from all over the world to attend, and drinking is a part of that experience, for most, it is disturbing that more people will be likely to drink and drive. Although cabs will still be available, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) claims that Uber, for one, is saving lives because it is an easy app to manipulate when impaired. The app retains your credit card information, so no money is exchanged with the driver, and the tip is already rolled into the fare. It retains your home address and GPS will let the driver know where you are when requesting a ride. Accidents and DWI related fatalities will likely be at staggering (no pun intended) all time highs (again, no pun intended).

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Ridesharing – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Drowsy Holiday Driving

Daun Thompson — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 02:41:41 +0000

I was having trouble falling asleep and all of my fellow zombie friends offered up a variety of remedies. From what I can recall, because I’ve slept since then, they suggested a plethora of both natural and synthetic sleep inducers such as Melatonin, Benadryl and Chamomile Tea. One friend even suggested I watch The Big Band Theory. Nah, just kidding, she actually told me get some tryptophan (the enzyme in turkey) and watch Scream Queens. Honestly, that worked the best. I took the tryptophan at bedtime with a side order of cranberry sauce and a nice Chianti. Perhaps it was the Chianti that knocked me out. Whatever it took, I didn’t care. I was desperate for that elusive thing called sleep. Even my dogs, that do nothing but sleep all day (they are even sleeping next to me as I write this blog), had no trouble getting to sleep at night. I considered walking in a circle, like they do, until I fell asleep. Perhaps it’s the dizziness that does them in. I hear that mixing medications will do the same. Probably the reason they don’t ask me back at the Improv. The Thanksgiving holiday is only one week away. With holiday travel and large tryptophan induced meals (that may even include alcohol), make sure you get a grip on Drowsy Holiday Driving.
Most states now have fatigue laws regarding drowsy driving. And some of those states consider a drowsy driver to be just as dangerous as a drunk driver. Which means that the penalties could be just as stringent as driving while impaired on alcohol or drugs. So, maybe limit your drinking or do not drink at all. If you do drink, designate a driver. Try to cut back on the turkey. Don’t overstuff yourself. Bring home what you can’t eat in a doggie bag. Your dogs will love that. Feed them the turkey with tryptophan. They will sleep until Christmas. And have a safe Thanksgiving holiday.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Drowsy Driving – Comedy Defensive Driving

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