drunk driving Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

GETTING A SOBER RIDE HOME

Daun Thompson — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 13:00:18 +0000

With the holidays right around the corner, hopefully you have plenty of parties and family gatherings to attend. Taking a ride share is your best bet, as you know. But what if you leave an office party and you happen to have your car with you? Or perhaps you thought it would be a great idea to be the designated driver, but the party was so good, that you slipped and had a few drinks, yourself? And, of course, so did everyone else who is riding with you. Now who’s getting a sober ride home?

RIDE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU

What you may not know is there are organizations available for a fee that will actually send two drivers to your requested pickup location. One driver drives you to your requested drop off location and the second driver follows you. This way, you don’t have to leave your car behind where it could be towed, stolen or vandalized. Nothing’s worse than lying in bed, spinning drunk and worrying about your car.

WHERE CAN I GET A SOBER RIDE

I recall years ago, the only organization that offered this service was Wingman Service. Now, there are many to choose from. Here’s a list (just to name a few) so you can make your own choice.
• SOFER’D is a team of drivers that drive their members and vehicles home safely. Members always get home safely and avoid leaving their vehicle unprotected. Again, this is a membership. You can become a member by downloading their app or go to SOFERD.com to become a member.
• Soberrides.org helps you make a plan with a list of resources and optional modes of transportation to get a sober ride home.
• AAA clubs around the country are offering free rides to folks who’ve celebrated too much to safely get behind the wheel. They’ll also tow your car home free of charge! Amazingly, this service is available even if you’re not an AAA member.

The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that the average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before their first arrest. Don’t be that guy! If you think your drinks were expensive, just wait til you get a d.w.i. Just like the clerk says to me all the time at Neiman Marcus “You can’t afford it!”

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

GETTING A SOBER RIDE HOME – Comedy Defensive Driving

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INTEXTICATION AND INTOXICATION

Daun Thompson — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 12:00:07 +0000

I was curious if “intextication” was just a made-up word or if it’s a real thing. So I looked it up on the ever so reliable Wikipedia site (haha) in their “wiktionary” and there it was! It means “distraction by text messaging while driving.” While the definition from Techopedia says that it is “a term coined to refer to an individual who is distracted by texting or composing an email on a handheld device while walking or driving, and is therefore unaware of the surroundings.” It is said to be called the new DWI (awww…isn’t that cute?). And why not, since texting makes a crash up to 24 times more likely. We are all well aware of the disturbing number of crashes due to drinking while driving. Intextication and intoxication, when you think about it, the two have so many parallels.

TEXTING v.s. DRINKING COMPARISONS

• Inability to maintain a single lane, or to stay in your own lane.
• Number of accidents and fatalities incurred as a result.
• Both are illegal.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

If a driver begins to drift out of their own lane, a law enforcement officer may assume that they have been drinking and may pull them over with due cause. And don’t expect mercy as you are explaining that there was no alcohol involved, yet there was a severe distraction. We are all aware that driving while intoxicated carries stiff fines and penalties and could possibly remain on your driving record indefinitely. While distracted driving is considered less severe, legally and financially, both are equally as dangerous.

Nearly everyone knows of someone who has had a family member killed by a drunk driver. If we don’t get a grip on the texting while driving situation, these people will also suffer the loss of loved ones killed by someone who couldn’t wait to finish a message.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

INTEXTICATION AND INTOXICATION – Comedy Defensive Driving

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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

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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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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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The Legal BACL

Daun Thompson — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 15:31:40 +0000

Do you know what the legal BACL (blood-alcohol content level) is for driving while intoxicated? It is .08. Not to be confused with .08 cents (which is 50 cent’s younger brother). I was thinking, if Lincoln was a rapper (just go with me here), what would his rapper name have been? Five cent? Maybe Weird Beard or Jebediah? If I were a gansta rapper, my stage name would be Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen (now that I’m older and creaky).
It is illegal to drive at a .08 BAC or higher in all 50 states. That means .08 milliliters of alcohol to 100 milliliters of blood. It is unclear to most people how many drinks it takes to get you to.08 because that varies greatly depending on many factors. Such as your gender, your weight and height, your age, your metabolism, what kind of physical condition you’re in, how much time passes between drinks, and how much you’ve eaten. If you’re on medication (prescribed or non-prescribed) adds to the factor as well. So, basically everyone is different. You can’t put everyone into the same category. Some people also don’t filter alcohol through their liver like most or may have a smaller liver than most. Sometimes it’s just genetic.
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), a .08 is roughly equivalent to 4 drinks for a 180 pound male. For a 140 pound female, only 2 drinks could put her at a .07. 3 drinks would raise her blood-alcohol to .10. While blood-alcohol levels do decrease over time, it’s typically by only about .015 an hour. So a person who is at a .08 would likely need 6 hours to completely sober up.
One drink is defined as a 12 oz. beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine, or a 1 to 1.5 oz shot glass of 80-proof liquor. A 12 oz. beer would mean an average size bottle of clear, domestic beer. Not a dark beer, stout, IPA, etc. Many imported beers are stronger in alcohol content. That’s why the English drive on the wrong side of the road. Some wines are stronger than others as well. Read the label’s alcohol content. And liquor would not include something like Bacardi 151 (which is 151 proof), or Everclear Grain Alcohol, which is 190 proof (yikes!).
But even if a driver is below a .08, studies show driving skills are significantly impaired at a .04 level (which is the current legal limit for anyone with a CDL (Commercial Driver License). That would be just 2 drinks for the average male, and 1.5 drinks for the average female. It’s also important to remember drivers can be arrested for a DUI, even if they test below a .08.
So, this holiday season (and always), just don’t drink and drive. If you think about it, taking a cab or Uber or Lyft at $25-$55 would be a lot less expensive than fines, attorney fees, jail time, etc.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
The Legal BACL – Comedy Defensive Driving

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The Proper Way To Tailgate

Daun Thompson — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 19:51:44 +0000

The Proper Way To Tailgate

Tailgate parties are upon us, which means football season is here and that means there is only one proper way to tailgate. Nothing against football, and don’t be mad at me, but I’m just not that into football. I grew up in a house full of women. My dad spent most of his time at work (a.k.a. the pub) where he could hang out with other guys and watch sports. He was hardly ever home. While all of the other moms in our neighborhood would be threatening their kids “You just wait until your father gets home.” My mom would be threatening us “IF your father EVER comes home…whatever!” They were mostly empty threats, because when he did come home, “toasted” he’d give us money. Well, he didn’t really give us the money…he’d pass out and we’d take it out of his wallet. I called it my college fund. And, my dad was so proud of me when I graduated from college, he framed my diploma and hung it above the mantel. My sister dropped out of school, so, just to be fair, he framed her DWI Defensive Driving Certificate and hung it next to my diploma (crooked, because he drinks).

Although I am not an experience tailgater, I have done a little research on the proper way to tailgate. The Iowa State Food Safety website says you should always be careful what foods you pack and that you store them at the proper temperature to ensure they do not get contaminated or develop bacteria. Here are a few tips from their website:

Follow these simple steps to ensure food safety:

Buy reasonable quantities
If food won’t be served soon, store it in a cooler immediately
When you get home, properly wrap and freeze deli meats that won’t be eaten within two to four days
REMEMBER most food poisoning bacteria can NOT be seen, smelled, or tasted
Bacteria multiply fastest between temperatures of 40 and 140; it’s what we call the Danger Zone
If in doubt, throw it out! Keep hot foods HOT (above 140° F) and cold foods COLD (40° F or below)

The 21st Century Insurance company website offers these safety tips as well on the proper way to tailgate:

If you’re grilling, make sure to bring a fire extinguisher
After your tailgate is finished, throw away all food that may spoil. Leftovers may be tempting after the game, but they may also be dangerous
If you’re using a charcoal grill, make sure to cool the coals properly before putting them in a garbage container or back in your car (unless you want to use them as a discipline tool)
Make sure you can see properly and that there are no items in your way, such as bottles or cans before starting to drive
Secure your grill and other items in the back so nothing can fall out
If any guest have been drinking alcohol, make sure they don’t get behind the wheel

And, most of all, have fun. You won’t have another 3 day weekend until Columbus Day.

Until next week…Happy Labor Day!

Daun T
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

The Proper Way To Tailgate – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Tie One On This Holiday Season

Daun Thompson — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:58:36 +0000

I remember the holiday parties at our house when I was a kid. Everyone was “tying one on” as my Dad would say. The Urban Dictionary indicates that “to tie one on” means “to get drunk or start drinking before the hang over from last night has worn off. Thus having something to “tie onto”. To tie one drinking session to another before the effects/consequences of the last have expired. Hmmm. You know who else likes to tie one on?? MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers). They started a Tying One on for Safety program in 1986, bringing more awareness to the problem of drinking and driving during the holidays. Red ribbons are placed in highly visible areas of vehicles, like the antenna, to remind everyone not to drink and drive. As more drivers place these red ribbons on their vehicles, this heightened attentiveness serves to curb the problem of drunk driving, especially during the holidays. I noticed that the garbage truck had a big red ribbon tied on the front. Same thing? Probably not. He was swerving, afterall.

Here are some helpful tips for safe holiday drinking. Remember, looks can be deceiving. All three of these beverages pack the same punch. Whether you are having one ounce to one-and-a-half ounces of alcohol, like a shot of vodka in a mixed drink, or you’re having a 5 ounce glass of wine, or a 12 ounce beer, they all provide you with the same amount of alcohol. Besides what you’re drinking, there are many other factors to figure in to the equation. Just a few of the other factors to figure in are your height, weight, physical condition, age, whether you are fatigued, whether you have food in your stomach, etc. And alcohol takes time to metabolize out of your system. Drinking coffee won’t speed up that time one bit.

Here’s what you can do to prevent yourself from getting in too deep! Decide ahead of time how much you want to drink and stick to it. And plan ahead regarding your designated driver.

Another reason to watch what you drink – calories can add up. Maybe you can wear that same holiday dress next year! At least if you wear the same outfit year after year, people will remember you! And not just remember you as that girl who “Tied one on” .

Have a safe couple of holidays and we’ll catch up with you next week.

Daun Thompson

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Looking For The Signs

Daun Thompson — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:23:11 +0000

I haven’t gotten a ticket in many years (knock on wood). And, you certainly don’t want to “brag” about it, or the Karma Monkey will trip you up. When that happens, you get three tickets in a row. Like celebrity deaths. I know for me, it’s just a matter of time before I get a speeding ticket. Honestly, I speed like everyone else. I have to. Unfortunately, if you don’t speed, people will mow you down. I hear, in some states, if everyone is speeding and you’re not speeding (i.e. not keeping up with the flow of traffic), you get a ticket for impeding traffic. That’s not a bad idea. Although, the truth of the matter is, it’s likely that the people impeding traffic are doing 45mph in the left lane. And they’re weaving. When I was a kid, if you saw someone driving a little under the speed limit, weaving in and out of their own lane, they were likely drunk. Now, when you see someone driving like that, they’re usually on the cell phone. And, if they’re crying into the cell phone, they’re probably drunk, too.
What’s my secret, you ask? I mean why I haven’t gotten a ticket in many years? I simply pay attention. That’s it! No witchcraft, nor magic tricks. I just have both hands on the wheel, driving like a nervous chihuahua, looking out for cops. And, of course, I’m also looking out for signs. Especially the ones where speed limits change, work zones and construction zones begin and end and where legal b.a.c. levels (blood alcohol levels) are posted. I just took a trip to Illinois to visit my folks. I rented a car at the Midway airport and got on the double nickel. From there, I hit route 80, and when I left the ramp that fed onto the highway, there was no speed limit sign posted for over three miles. At that point, I was really driving like a little old lady. Hoping I wasn’t speeding and hoping I wouldn’t be pulled over by a trooper. The speed limit, by the way, is 55mph. Who does 55? If you were going any slower, you’d be in reverse. I did notice that there was a sign posted right off the ramp that said the legal b.a.c. level in Illinois is .08! They don’t care much if you’re speeding on the highways. But, they want you to know how drunk you can be while on those highways. If you’ve ever been to Illinois, you already know, there is nothing to see. There’s nothing but corn fields and liquor stores. And liquor made out of corn.
On your road trip this holiday season, look for the signs. They just may point to a wealthier and wiser 2012. Have a great couple of holidays and join us next week.
Daun Thompson

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