Passing a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop sign out is against the law and carries a hefty fine. In the Lone Star State, the fine is a whopping $1250.00 and Judges will not allow you to take a defensive driving class to have the ticket dismissed and the fine reduced. Therefore, you would have to not only pay the entire fine amount, but the points would go on your driving record making your insurance increase considerably. Most drivers are aware that you must stop behind the bus, while many still pass the bus when these warning lights are activated. It is estimated that over 10 million drivers illegal pass school buses every year. The fine for this has not only increased if issued by a police officer, but many buses have been equipped with cameras for this reason. For economical reasons alone, one would think that everyone would stop behind a stopped school bus. Perhaps the issue here is not only respecting and valuing the lives of other people’s children, but when it’s really broken down for you (which I am going to do here if you read on), buses are much more valuable to us and should be respected for saving lives, fuel and air pollution.

EDUCATION: Taking the bus decreases truancy and increases the likelihood of children doing well in school. If half the battle is showing up for school, the school bus is helping us win the battle.
ENVIRONMENTAL and ECONOMICAL: School buses keep over 17 million cars off roads each year. One bus carries the equivalent of 36 cars. This saves families approximately 62 billion miles of driving, 2.6 billion gallons of fuel and 56.5 billion pounds of CO2.
SAVING LIVES: Students are 70% more likely to get to school safely if they ride a bus, rather than in a car. School bus drivers are the most highly trained, tested and scrutinized drivers on the road.

Since passing vehicles cause an estimated 2/3 of school bus loading/unloading fatalities, here is a wee bit of information to keep kids safe.
• More school-aged pedestrians are killed from 7-8 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. than any other time of the day.
• The Danger Zone: Motorists should not be within 10 feet radius around all sides of a school bus. A safe stop distance away from a school bus should be up to 25 feet when stop arm is out and red lights are flashing. Slow down when the yellow lights are flashing and prepare to stop. Do not attempt to pass the bus. Oncoming cars must drop speeds to 20mph or less. When stop arm is out, every driver behind the bus must stop. Oncoming cars must stop if there is only a painted line or a split/divide in the median (a divided highway will depend on certain situations).
So it’s critical that we learn and follow the laws pertaining to school buses in our own state.
You can find this information at http://www.nasdpts.org/Operations/documents/State_Laws_Regarding_Passing_School_Buses.pdf

Take a minute and educate yourself about these important laws.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

School Bus Safety – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Children will be distracted too. Some are walking to school, while texting friends and not paying attention. You can expect to see them crossing the street, and not always at crosswalks. Some will exit the bus and run across the road. So, just be aware and don’t add your own distractions to the mix. Most school zones, anymore, become a one-way road situation for parents dropping off and picking up their children. You can bet that there will be police present, making sure that everyone is driving safely and obeying school zone laws. Even when you are not directly near the school, the school zone may extend beyond the point where you would expect it to end, since some kids are walking to school. And, where the school zone ends and the speed limit increases, make darned sure that your car passes the speed limit sign before you begin to accelerate, and not before you approach that sign. Passing a school bus with its red lights flashing, using a cell phone, speeding, not stopping for crossing guards all lead up to a really bad beginning of the school year.

And, if you really think about it, parents have already tricked their kids into being excited about going back to school by purchasing them new school clothes, backpacks, books, cool notebooks and accessories. They’re already going to find out on the first day of school that they were once again tricked into being excited about school. Just pay attention, and don’t make it worse for them. And, once you drop them off, you can go back home and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Back To School – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Child Safety – Comedy Defensive Driving
See Daun Thompson LIVE! In Arlington, Texas – Escapades Lounge, October 23rd and Blue Mesa November 1st!

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And don’t forget those school buses, hauling those screaming kids to their final destination. That’s one job I wouldn’t want, being a school bus driver. And don’t forget the rules there! Never pass a school bus if the red lights are flashing and the stop arm is out. Now, I’m sure those bus drivers tell those kids (at least the ones that they like, anyway) to go to the crosswalk and cross. But kids never listen. That’s why school zones are 20mph! If you were going any slower, you’d be in reverse! And, if you’re on the opposite side of the median, going the opposite direction, you must stop if your side is separated from the bus’ side of the road by a painted line or a divided median. A hefty fine that will surely bankrupt any ideas of affording to send your own kids to that private school you have been dreaming of.

Now, it’s the end of your busy day. You’ve put in your time at work and now it’s time to get home and relax. But wait! You’re going to be passing through some of those school zones yet again. So, ease back, do your 20mph, dinner can wait. You’ll get home just in time to eat, watch the news, go to bed, and get up tomorrow morning and go through the same routine.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

School Zones – Comedy Defensive Driving School

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Until next week…keep those little ones safe…pay attention and look out for kids, because they’re not looking out for you.

Daun Thompson

Look Out For Kids – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Don’t let anything or anyone distract you. And, when you see a stopped school bus with it’s alternating red flashing lights on, make sure you know what to do. If the bus is on the opposite side of the road, going the opposite direction, and there is a true, solid median dividing the road (one with grass, gravel, trees or cement…with no split or divide in that median), you do not have to stop for the bus. The only time you must stop for the bus on the other side is if there is a split or divide in that median (where you can turn in or out from), or if there is no median at all (i.e. there is just a painted line separating the road). The fine on that side of the road, at least here in Texas, is currently running around $768. And, if the bus is stopped on your side of the road, in the same scenario, you have to stop behind the bus. I have been told that the fine for not stopping for a bus on your side of the road, again, here in Texas, is currently running around $1500. They call it “overtaking a school bus.” The new school buses I have seen now have a camera attached to the bus, directly behind the stop sign that pops out by the bus driver. So now they’ve got you on film and don’t just have to take the bus driver’s word for it. And you don’t want to be in that Kodak moment.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson

Look Out For Kids – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Between school zone laws and passing a school bus with its alternating red lights flashing, you could find yourself facing some stiff penalties once school has started.Remember when you were a kid?Summer’s coming to an end.Your Mother takes you school shopping.How exciting was that??Then, the first day of school comes.You have all of your shiny new school supplies and those new pony fur hot pants you just couldn’t live without (o.k…those were a really bad idea).And about a half hour into the first day back, you’re like “Sh*t!She tricked me again.I hate school!!”

I remember my daughter’s first day of Kindergarten.We’d skipped daycare and preschool because she had a nanny at home.So she wasn’t used to the conventional school happenings.When I picked her up that first half day, I asked her “So how was your first day of Kindergarten?”She said “I guess it was o.k.But I got in really big trouble.”“Why? What did you do?”“I don’t know, but they made me take a nap.”I also, with some coaxing on her part, admitted that I was, indeed, the tooth fairy.“Wow! You can fly???” was her unexpected response.

I told her how, when I was her age, my sisters and I would walk to school every day.She said “Why? Didn’t your parents love you??”I guess she had a good point.Now, if you allow your kids to walk anywhere without adult supervision, they may just get supervised by your friendly neighborhood predator.

So, remember, school zones are 20mph, even though in other states this speed varies.Yes, we all know, if you were going any slower, you’d be in reverse.But little ones will dart out right in front of you.They can’t be responsible for their own actions.The law takes child safety very seriously.And, in most cities, active school zones are hands-free.Meaning no hand-held devices.Both are sizeable fines.And most people get the double whammy because they were distracted by the cellphone and missed the flashing school zone light.Another thing to remember, school buses transporting kids to and from school make frequent stops to load and unload those little brats (that’s what the bus drivers call them…why can’t I??).When the bus driver turns on those alternating flashing lights, you must stop behind the bus.Not doing so is considered “Overtaking a School Bus” and is a sizeable fine.If you are on the opposite side of the street, going the opposite direction and there is a true median (grass, gravel, trees, cement or grassy knoll with a president buried there) separating your side from where the bus is, you do not have to stop for the bus.Although, you do have to stop for that bus if there is a divide in that median, or if there is only a painted line separating your side from the side where the bus is.

If you’re taking other people’s kiddos to school, you must have all children under the age of 5 years old or under 4’9” in a booster seat and all other kids must be seat belted.Thank God for that.Because, I don’t care what you say…kids are a major distraction.When I was a kid, we didn’t have cell phones or GPS and crap like that.The biggest distraction in the car when I was a kid…was kids!My Mom would have one hand on the wheel and the other just swinging away at us in the back seat.There is one advantage to taking other people’s kids to school though. You can get on the H.O.V. lane and use the kid as the second passenger.Brilliant?I think so.You may have just found your commuting partner.And it may just get you to work faster.

Until next week…watch out for kiddos.

Daun Thompson

( Daun Thompson is a comedienne, writer and artist residing in Dallas, Texas )

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If things had gone as planned, the Texas state law banning texting while driving would have gone into effect this September 1.Although it is a city ordinance in several Texas cities such as San Antonio, El Paso and Austin (our lovely capital and home of Rick Perry…a.k.a. Mr. Vetoe).On June 17, Governor Rick Perry vetoed the legislature’s plan to ban text messaging for all drivers. This would have been a Texas state law.

The ban on texting while driving has been a city ordinance in Austin since June of 2009.I’m not likely the only person who thought that, if our capital city was on-board with it, that was a pretty good indication that this would become a state law in a short matter of time. We were wrong!Apparently slick Rick cited that House Bill 242 was a “government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults.”Texas already bans texting by teens. The bill would have extended that ban to all drivers. Perry says that he does recommend additional education on this issue in driving safety and driver’s education courses and public service ads.

The amended bill would have prohibited a driver from reading, writing or sending a text-based communication while operating a motor vehicle, unless the vehicle is stopped.Opponents said drivers would be penalized for simply receiving a text message while behind the wheel.  Do this…next time you stop at a red light, look over at all of the cars in the other lanes.  You’ll notice that nearly everyone is looking down…finishing a text at the red light.  Darned multi-taskers!

Currently, it is a state law prohibiting use of a handheld electronic device or texting in an active school zone. There are exceptions for emergency situations, though.Like, if you hit a kid jay-walking in a school zone.You’ll need to use your cell phone to call 911 to let them know that “the car behind you just hit a kid in a school zone”. (Please, don’t take me seriously on this one…)

I, for one, don’t text and drive.Not because I’m smart enough not to.I’m just not coordinated enough.I’ve tried it.And I could totally take out families.My 15 year old daughter can text and not even look at her phone while she’s texting.She can sit at the kitchen table, look me right in the eyes while we’re having a converstion…the whole time she’s texting under the table.She calls it multi-tasking…I call it grounded…I think it’s just rude.

It is a Federal law that Commercial Drivers(truck drivers) cannot text while driving.And, if they get caught, the fine is just under $2k.Plus no one will ever hire them again. Fair enough, a semi truck is a huge piece of machinery…you could totally take out families with.  What ever happened to good old CB Radios?  And Smokey and the Bandit??  And Jim Stafford and Jerry Reed songs?  You know, people used to park while playing those 8-Tracks.

By the way…T-Mobile is probably throwing a party somewhere…if anyone wants to go…

Until next time…

Daun Thompson

(Daun is a writer, comedienne and artist residing in Dallas, Texas)

The post IXNAY ON THE TEXTNAY or Texting While Driving appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.