inattentive driving Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

Smoking Inside a Car

Daun Thompson — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 06:10:49 +0000

I grew up in a generation where adults were always smoking inside a car with children present. Even smoke on a bus or a plane. Well, now we have one more reason to cause a baby to cry on a plane. Now, with our knowledge of second hand smoke, heck, that’s probably why Froggy, the kid on The Little Rascals, talked the way he did. An elderly man told me that he stopped smoking in his car out of guilt because he threw a lit cigarette out his car window and it came back into the back window, landed in his granddaughter’s booster seat and burned her leg. What the heck was he doing smoking in the car with a child present in the first place? What a relief it would be if every state passed a law prohibiting anyone from smoking in a vehicle with anyone under 18 present. Perhaps it would be an even better idea if people were prohibited from smoking in a car altogether. That would certainly help to eliminate distractions and grass fires. As of October 1st, England passed a law regarding this. Cheerio for them, I say!

Research shows that second hand smoke is even more dangerous to children than adults because children breathe more rapidly and have less developed airways, lungs and immune systems. Every time a child breathes in second hand smoke, they breathe in thousands of chemicals. This puts them at risk for serious conditions including meningitis, cancer, bronchitis and pneumonia. And it can worsen asthma.

Now, at least eight states in America (Oregon, California, Utah, Vermont, Main, Arkansas, Louisiana and Puerto Rico) have banned smoking in cars when children are present. And other states are considering it. Not only is smoking in an enclosed space hazardous for children, it is also hazardous for other passengers. Plus, of course, preventing the driver from being distracted by the act of smoking decreases the danger of traffic accidents.

It is said that over 80% of cigarette smoke is invisible and even opening windows does not remove all of the smoke. The level of toxic air in a vehicle from one cigarette is up to 10 times greater than levels that are considered hazardous. And, again, Children with undeveloped lungs and immune systems are susceptible to serious health issues from being cooped up in a car with a smoker.

So, think twice before lighting up with children in the car.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Smoking Inside A Car – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Texting Lane

Daun Thompson — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 04:09:30 +0000

When you’re walking down the street these days, people don’t even say hello when passing. They’re too busy texting or reading something on their phone. I read a study that said this could be the cause of double chins and bad posture. What about all of the beautiful trees and colorful landscapes they miss? I remember when we had land lines and answering machines. You actually had to wait until you got home from work to see who was trying to reach you. Now we have instant gratification and no place to hide from bill collectors. We had rotary dial phones, tethered to a short cord leading to a wall jack. If you were being stabbed to death and needed help, the last number you’d want to dial is “9.” And the “1-1”… forget about it. By then you’ve already bled out. Your only other option was to dial zero, which was even worse. Perhaps that was called natural selection in those days.
Now, everyone is talking or texting. They’re wearing a Bluetooth earpiece, hidden under their hair so you can’t see it. They’re looking directly at you, walking towards you. Wow! You think they’re talking to YOU. So you ask them “What?” And they snarl “I’m not talking to YOU!” How rude is that? Perhaps someone should invent a bubble to wear so you can have a personal conversation in public. And, what about women talking on the phone in a public restroom? They do that! That’s not only awkward for those of us in the restroom with her, but awkward for the person on the other end of the line. They can hear the toilets flush, you know. It sounds like a Chinese Gong. “Where are you calling me from?” “Benihana?” But men take selfies in a public restroom mirror, so everyone loses in the manners department, both men and women.
No one is paying attention to you, to life, to the road, or to others on the sidewalk. Utah Valley University has created a texting lane for students who are walking while texting. Not a bad idea. Perhaps city streets should have texting lanes as well. After all, there are bicycle lanes in some cities. The Chinese city of Chongqing has done just that. They’ve created a Smartphone sidewalk lane. And the Belgian city of Antwerp introduced text walking lanes for pedestrians using mobile phones. Sounds like a smart idea. It’s probably a crowded lane.
As for texting lanes on roadways, now that would be the lane with the smoke and the fire…
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Texting Lane – Comedy Defensive Driving

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BAD DRIVER! NO BISCUIT!

Daun Thompson — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:34:21 +0000

Not everyone on the road is a good driver. But you could try to be if you drive defensively, you’re alert and ready for whatever comes your way. Being cautious without being timid and not putting your fate in the hands of other drivers will make you a better driver. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 90% of all crashes are attributed to driver error. Most errors could be avoided if the driver is paying attention so they have better reaction time.

Avoiding aggressive and inattentive driving tendencies will certainly put you in a stronger position to deal with other people’s bad driving. Be sure to leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you. Always lock your doors and wear your seat belt.
Be aware of your surroundings. If you pay attention to what’s going on immediately around the car at all times, you will know where you have an “out.” Checking your mirrors frequently and scanning the road ahead of you is imperative. If another driver is showing signs of aggressive driving, it would be better to slow down or pull over and let them go on ahead, rather than trying to get past him. That’s a great way for you to get a speeding ticket, trying to get as far away from that bad driver so you don’t get ensnared in their web…only to get ensnared into the police officer’s web. And don’t depend on other drivers to make the best decisions. Be considerate of other drivers, but always look out for yourself. Don’t assume that another driver is going to move out of the way or allow you to merge and certainly don’t assume that they won’t run through red lights or stop signs. Always look both ways before preceding through a green light. Always count three seconds before taking a right on red or before leaving a stop sign. Always anticipate the worst-case scenario. Keep a safe following distance between you and the car ahead of you by following the 3-second rule. And, for Pete’s sake, try not to speed. That one item right there will save both your life and your life’s savings.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

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