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

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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

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EASING STRESS DURING TRAFFIC STOPS

Communication can be difficult for someone with autism, the deaf, people with PTSD or Parkinson’s. It can also be difficult for someone with a simple speech impediment. In regards to autism spectrum disorder, the driver may not make eye contact and can struggle to communicate clearly, especially in stressful situations. An officer may view this as uncooperative or even under the influence of alcohol or drugs. So, this “suspicious” behavior could lead to additional stressful field tests and possibly even lead to their arrest.

THE SAMUEL ALLEN LAW

Senate Bill 976 “The Samuel Allen Law” hopes to give those drivers with conditions which may affect their ability to communicate a chance to have stress free interactions with law enforcement. This law gives people the option to disclose their diagnoses with the TXDMV (Texas Department of Motor Vehicles) when registering their vehicle. While the handicapped may have a symbol on their license plates, other conditions are not immediately apparent.

Highly functioning people with health issues, like all others, still have normal, everyday requirements such as driving to work or school. Even someone with severe diabetes or a heart issue should disclose this so that an officer will be better equipped to handle a particular traffic stop in a specialized way. Most law enforcement officers are now trained paramedics who know to look for signs and know how to deal with them.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

NEW LAW FOR DRIVERS WITH COMMUNICATION ISSUES – Comedy Defensive Driving

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ALWAYS STAY OUT OF A TRUCK’S NO ZONE

There are four blind spot areas (so, every side of the vehicle)

• The front of the truck – Always leave at least 4 car lengths between the back of your car and the truck.
• The truck’s driver side, anywhere past 1/3 of the trailer.
• The truck’s passenger side.
• The truck’s rear – That’s why you’ll usually see a sign posted on the back of the trailer “If you can’t see my side mirrors, I can’t see YOU.” Leave 20-25 car lengths between your car and the back of the truck. They don’t have impact absorbing bumpers like a car and it’s likely that the bumper will line up with your windshield. Plus, leaving more space will allow you to better see what’s up ahead.

ALWAYS ANTICIPATE WIDE TURNS

This is another sign you may see on a commercial vehicle. Buses and trucks need extra room to turn. If you are in a lane next to them, you should just hang back a bit until they’ve completed their turn so you don’t get cut off or pinned between them and the curb.

In addition, the weight of a commercial vehicle puts tremendous stress on its tires. So, their tires are like ticking time bombs, ready to go off any minute! If you’re near a truck and a tire blows, the steel belts in their tire can take your windshield out and do a “Jane Mansfield” on you. Another good reason to not linger near a truck, because “headless” isn’t a good look (well, maybe for some).

Having an accident with an 18 wheeler almost always leads to injuries. So, again, share the road, give truckers space and don’t linger around them. Insurance companies say accidents with 18 wheelers are usually the fault of the other vehicles.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

SAFE DRIVING AROUND TRUCKS – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Pointing Out The Obvious Differences

The argument seems to be that not only can bicyclists not keep up or get up to an immediate speed as the flow of traffic, stop signs and traffic lights were designed with cars in mind, not bicycles. Every year, hundreds of bicyclists die in traffic accidents involving cars and thousands more are injured, according to the NHTSA. And drivers can play a big role in reducing those statistics. Of course, bicyclists have responsibilities too. If you are a cyclist, when you are in a car you most likely are more patient with a fellow cyclist. You realize that there is one less car on the road today polluting the environment, using fuel and creating potholes.

Know Your Hand Signals and More!

One responsibility of both the driver and cyclist are in knowing and using hand signs for right and left turns. If the cyclist is planning to make a right turn at an intersection or onto a street, there should be a raised left hand in a squared position or an extended right hand. When exiting your car, look out your side mirror first to make sure than a bicyclist is not passing. Bikes should always ride in the direction of traffic, always use hand signals and always come to a complete stop at signs and red lights. They should also ride in the center of the lane whenever possible. And they should ride at a fast clip and look over their shoulder and use hand signals when changing lanes or turning.

Remember, a car weighs two tons or so, while the average bike weighs a mere twenty pounds. When sharing the road with bicycles, always pass them slowly and smoothly and for heaven’s sake, don’t HONK, even if you know them!

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

SAFE DRIVING AROUND BICYCLISTS – Comedy Defensive Driving

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How Do Allergies Impact Driving?

According to the American Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, “Drowsiness and lack of awareness can affect all drivers with studies revealing that 1 in 5 accidents are related to difficulty staying awake.” They also state that “Allergies can, and often do, impact an individual’s quality of life including problems with sleeping, daytime drowsiness and trouble focusing.”  If you are driving or planning to drive, avoid sedating medication such as over the counter Benadryl, chlorpheniramine and others alike. You’ll find that the crimp inside the box and the label on the bottle will always heed a warning “Do not take this medication and drive a car or operate heavy machinery.  This medication may cause drowsiness. Don’t take this medication with alcohol.” So, an alternative, such as allergy injections are a non-sedating and apparently the most effective way to treat allergies while avoiding sedating medications.

What You Can Do To Avoid Allergens

If you must drive, try to plan your drive during low traffic hours, like very early morning or late evening. This way, you will spend less time on the road while avoiding high levels of air pollution. Also avoid driving with the windows down, but instead use the air conditioner on the “re-circulate” mode to keep outdoor vents closed. But if your allergies are that bad, you should avoid driving altogether.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Allergies Impair Driving – Comedy Defensive Driving

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• 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

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support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate
donate.cancer.org/‎
www.stjude.org/
inspiredgifts.unicefusa.org/Children/Donation

Until next week…Have a Happy and Safe Holiday!
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Holiday Car Safety Tips – Comedy Defensive Driving

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More vacationing, means more drivers on the road, which causes more traffic and congestion. Unfamiliar roads for vacationers and sightseeing (or rubber necking as we call it in Texas) may cause drivers to slow down or drive erratically when distracted. Look out for some road rage from the locals. Because we all know that tourists are a pain in the rear and should always be made fun of. School is out, so there are going to be many more teen (inexperienced) drivers on the road. And, as much as we parents hate to admit it, data shows that teens are more likely to be involved in accidents than other age groups. The heat and friction has also do a number on your tires. Tires are likely to blow out during the hot summer months. So have them checked out and always keep a filled spare. Most parts of the country that experience extreme winter weather only have the summer months as their opportunity to do road construction. Be mindful of construction zones and construction workers (you know…the guys in the orange vests).

So, plan ahead. Make sure you have your entire route mapped out. GPS is awesome, as we all know. But knowing ahead of time what your exact route is will save time, grief and a possible accident (whether that accident may be a fender bender or a kick in the face). Bring along plenty of water and an extra cell phone charger. You don’t want to be stranded in the heat with a dead cell phone. Oh…and don’t forget to pay your cell phone bill. Again, you don’t want to be stranded in the heat with a dead cell phone.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Summer Driving Hazards – Comedy Defensive Driving

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