teen driver Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

Happy Mother’s Day

Daun Thompson — Mon, 15 May 2017 13:52:37 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms around the world, we literally would not be here without you. Funny how some parental roles have switched over time. The trend now seems to be that more and more mothers are teaching their teens how to drive. It was typically dads who did the teaching when I was a kid. Most kids when asked why their father didn’t teach them to drive will say it’s because their dad is way too impatient. Apparently that role has changed as well, because my mom was the impatient parent when I was a kid. We called her (and still do) “Old Yeller.” My dad was just a laid-back alcoholic, an inebriated role model who taught us how to drive. I was taught to drive by a drunk driver and I learned how to weave and drift across three lanes. He’d put his beer can in the middle of the dashboard and say “Line up this can with the side of the road (to get your perspective then, one would typically use the pointed part of the hood or the hood ornament).” Then he’d climb over the seat and pass out. That was back in the 70’s though, in Illinois where there was nothing but cornfields and liquor stores (and liquor made out of corn). Now, you go to jail for allowing your child to drive you home from the bar. But kids are much more important now than when I was a kid. My dad got his only DWI when he was in his mid 70’s. His license was suspended and he was not allowed to drive, which was ironic, because he would often say “Your mother drives me to drink.” And then after his license was suspended, she had to drive him to drink.
I, too, was one of those mothers that taught my daughter how to drive. Her father had no part, whatsoever, in teaching her about driving a car (Ha! As if I even know who her dad is). Since I am a Defensive Driving Instructor, she is a very careful and cautious driver. And, not to be hypercritical, one can often be too cautious. And I have also noticed lately that many young women have driving anxiety because of higher speed limits that they are not comfortable with, dealing with angry and impatient drivers and/or they’ve had an accident. Doing a little research on driving anxiety, I found this nifty seven question quiz to determine one’s level of driving anxiety. https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety-test
Being too cautious and driving too slowly (not keeping up with the flow of traffic) can also cause accidents or road rage. If you have extreme driving anxiety, it can be dangerous for you and for others around you. Perhaps seeing a therapist for driving anxiety may be the best choice. Not everyone likes to drive, I know that I don’t. Now, with many inexpensive ways to commute, perhaps driving less or not putting yourself on a high speed roadway may save your life and the life of others.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Happy Mother’s Day – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Happy Mother’s Day appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Teaching Skills To Avoid Accidents

Daun Thompson — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 17:37:32 +0000

We had driver education in high school. It was part of our curriculum. We could take physical education, or, we could choose an elective, which could be driver ed. Our assistant coach was our driving instructor. And we had driving simulators in a classroom. They were like bumper cars with theater screens. How appropriate is THAT, to learn how to drive in a bumper car. I believe that driver education was better then. Budget cuts have forced many school districts to eliminate driver education programs, leaving parents no option but to pay for private training or to train them themselves. With that said, parents need to take an active role in teaching their kids to drive. Especially at night and in bad weather. Every minute you spend with them benefits them (and others) in the long run. While most states require that parents (or guardians) ride along with their kid for 40 hours before they can get a driver license, most parents do a good job teaching them the importance of controlling the car, but are not so good at teaching skills to avoid accidents.

Now, there are new techniques and guides that have been developed out of new scientific research. The study shows that, after teaching basic vehicle handling skills, few parents went on to teach next-step driving skills, such as spotting and avoiding a potential hazard. Slowing when approaching a crosswalk where pedestrians might appear, or in a neighborhood where children are at play that may slip behind parked cars or alleyways are just a few lessons to teach. Drilling them on maneuvers that will avoid hazards and how to develop hazard recognition and judgment, making left turns in an intersection and how to merge (especially onto and off of high speed roadways) are super important.

Insurance company State Farm, funded research and development to help keep teen drivers safe. And they offer a program called “Road Trips,” at teendriving.statefarm.com. This program helps teach your teen how to drive on more varied roads (at night and in bad weather).

You want your kid to get a good start at driving and should never try to push them, but let them progress at their own pace so that they will feel more confident behind the wheel. Both KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL imparted will help them to be better drivers.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

( See Daun November 3rd at the Arlington, Texas IMPROV )

Teaching Skills To Avoid Accidents – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Teaching Skills To Avoid Accidents appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Choosing a Vehicle for Your Teen

Daun Thompson — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 02:12:09 +0000

Car crashes are the leading cause for teenage deaths and the crash risk is much higher during the first year teenagers are able to drive. According to studies, teenager drivers tend to underestimate hazardous driving situations and are less able than older drivers to recognize dangerous situations. Teens also have the lowest rate of seat belt use. According to surveys about 10% of high school students report they do not wear seat belts. And previous research has shown that many newly licensed teenagers in the U.S. are driving vehicles with inferior crash protection. So, choosing a vehicle for your teen is a huge undertaking. You want to get them a newer model with the latest safety features, but not a new car.

My parents parented by trial and error as all parents do. With each daughter, they learned what worked and what didn’t. When the oldest turned 16, my father bought her a new convertible sports car. Looking back, the one smart thing that he did, was to buy her a five speed. It’s nearly impossible to multitask while shifting gears. And, as sweet as that ride was, she would drink and take out parked cars on weekends. When the second oldest became old enough to drive, he bought her a used sports car. She was a decent driver. He probably spent more time with her driver education. When it came to me, the youngest, he gave me a $60 gold, four-door Delta88 Oldsmobile (a minivan would have been cooler). Although I was too embarrassed to be seen in it, and hardly drove it, when it went to the junk yard that car was smashed in on all four sides. It was like a Mini when I got done with it. I’m sure it was more compact and easier to park. So, what are the best tips when choosing a vehicle for your teen?

High safety ratings are imperative when choosing a car. Bigger, heavier vehicles, although not the best choice for fuel economy, are said to protect better in a crash. Assuring that the car has key safety features, such as electronic stability control, is especially beneficial for teenage drivers. So, something more along the lines of a family vehicle with low horsepower, will not only keep them from speeding, but will also prevent them from wanting to drive at all, as was my experience.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Choosing a Vehicle for Your Teen – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Choosing a Vehicle for Your Teen appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

TEENS BEHIND THE WHEEL

Daun Thompson — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 00:22:15 +0000

When it comes to parenting, it is said that over-involvement in your teenager’s life can be counter-productive. My mother would disagree, as would most grandmothers from her generation who ruled with an iron fist and a stingy flyswatter. Why did parents of my generation think they could do it better? Oh well, at least we experimented with time outs and counting to three, and we failed miserably. So, when it comes time for your teenager to be driving, you’re going to have to really put your foot down (or up…). Although helicopter parenting may be considered over the top and not very helpful, when it comes to our teens behind the wheel, nagging a little too much and being overly cautious may be the best approach to save your teenager’s life.
There are countless stories about teen accidents as well as countless videos showing teens driven to distraction, and the statistics are alarming. Studies show that, if you are going to die prematurely, at any time in your life, the two worst years are between 16 and 17, and the reason is because of driving. In fact, the leading cause for accidental death in teenagers is car crashes and the second leading cause for accidental death is perhaps from mouthing off (after all, I am a mother. Inexperienced drivers, combined with in-car distractions is truly a recipe for disaster. And, when it comes to our kids, studies also say that many parents may be much too relaxed about the subject. Either they trust their own kids entirely too much (which puts a lot of adult responsibility on them), or the parents are simply tired of car pooling their children and look forward to having someone else take over that chore. And why not other errands as well, such as washing the car, shopping, etc. Sometimes it’s nice to have some help. And most teenagers that haven’t a car of their own would jump at the chance to get behind the wheel and run those errands for you, just to get some drive time. Which is a good thing, since practice leads to experience, and experience makes a better driver. Under the strict rule, although, that they are not picking up other friends to go along for the ride since teen car pooling causes the most danger.
According to AAA, if a 16 or 17 year old driver has a passenger under 21 in the car, they are 44% more likely to be killed in a crash. Having two passengers doubles that risk, and it quadruples with three or more passengers.
It is said that teens think that they are invincible and they’re not particularly worried about the harm to themselves of getting in a car crash. Some kids admit that they were trying to look cool for their friends and/or trying to impress them when they crashed. Most states set passenger limits for new drivers for these very reasons. But ultimately it is the parent’s responsibility to keep their own kid safe. So, setting rules will only let them know that you care. Make a contract with your kid. Stipulating the rules and outlining the consequences for violating those rules will help you to monitor your kid.
Driving is a privilege, and a privilege can be taken away. So…cell phones in the glove compartment (be sure to turn the notification “dings” are off). And long live your kid!

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Teens Behind The Wheel – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post TEENS BEHIND THE WHEEL appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Driving Tips for New Drivers

Daun Thompson — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 05:02:35 +0000

It scares the bajeezus out of me that kids don’t have driver education offered in high school like they did when I was a kid. Driver education is definitely not like it was back in the 70’s. Now, teens are not even required to attend a driving school. They can do a parent taught driver education course offered by the DPS (Department of Public Safety). Here are a few driving tips for new drivers. These tips may help parents when teaching their teens how to drive. Practicing good safety habits will not only help to prevent accidents, but the more time you drive without a ticket or an accident on your record, the lower you can keep your insurance rates.
Keep your cell phone off. If you have no willpower and can’t trust yourself to not reach for it while driving, lock it in the glove box or console. Talking on the phone is one thing, but texting is even worse. This requires taking your eyes off of the road for way too long. Turn your headlights on in the morning and at dusk. Even if it’s not completely dark outside, people are more likely to see you if your lights are on. Some cars are more “invisible” to drivers due to their color. So having your lights on certainly helps.
Drive at a safe speed. Even if everyone is blowing past you, you may be trying to keep up with the flow of traffic, but also keeping it at a safe speed while doing so. Minimize distractions and try to drive alone.
And always practice defensive driving. Always pay attention to everything going on around the car at all times. And always have a safe “out” planned in case you need an escape route should something happen suddenly. Stay at least one car length behind other cars at low speeds, and leave even more space at higher speeds or in inclement weather. A defensive driving course will improve your driving skills, get you up to speed with new laws and revised laws, and could give you a discount on your auto insurance for three years.
Thank goodness for all of the new safety features in cars. That will eventually help reduce teen driver fatalities. But there is no accounting for driving experience. Add that with these tips and it will increase the odds that your teen won’t become a statistic.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Driver Tips for New Drivers – Comedy Defensive Driving

The post Driving Tips for New Drivers appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

Road Safety – Teens and Cars

Daun Thompson — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:41:44 +0000

Road Safety – Teens and Cars

My father taught me how to drive. And he was also a drunk driver, so I learned to weave and drift across three lanes at an early age. He’d set his beer can on the center of the dashboard and no joke, say “Now line that up with the edge of the road.” Then he’d climb over into the backseat and pass out. I learned to drive when I was 8 years old. If this were the case, in 2013, Child Protective Services would be my “Dad.” I’ve been told that CPS will also babysit for free …and they will do it for many, many years.

We also had driver education when I was in high school. It was part of our curriculum. Now, you typically have to take it from an outside school, at a whopping cost of $300 to $500. And, I’m sure it’s better than being taught by a drunk parent (or, what I like to call an authoritative figure that slurs). But teaching someone “evasive” driving is much like being taught “acting.” It cannot be taught…it can only be felt. Meaning, they can teach you all of the “textbook” evasive moves (how to recover from a skid, how to avoid an obstacle without rolling your car, what to do when your car is hydroplaning, etc.) but, until you actually experience those things, what you’ve been taught means very little. That’s where The Drivers Edge comes in, teaching kids, ages 15-25, road safety. And, considering, with the high mortality rate due to inexperience (the main cause for collisions), they actually teach them hands-on evasive driving. You can check out their website and register for a free course when they do their annual national tour. Drivers Edge

Man, things have really changed since I was a young driver but one thing has not, teens and cars are still a bad combination, there’s no doubt about that. But, when I was learning to drive, there were no unmarked police cars, with the lights in the grille of the car or behind the tinted back window. Now, you don’t realize it’s a police car until you pass them, doing 90 mph and they “light you up” (which sounds like fun…being lit up…but it’s not fun). When I was a teenager, the lights were always on top of the police cars. Even if someone was following behind you with a luggage rack on top of their car, at night, it looked like it could be a cop and your heart would be pounding away in your chest. Actually, that may have been paranoia from partying too much. And tickets didn’t look like a WalMart receipt when I was a kid. It was just a small ticket and on the backside, it listed what your fine would be for each mile over the speed limit. And the price of the ticket wasn’t crazy expensive like they are now. The maximum amount of the fine was $50. And that was for manslaughter…you can’t even afford to kill someone anymore…it’s the economy. Remember…always blame everything on the economy.

Until next week…be safe.

Daun Thompson
Comedienne / Artist / Writer

Teens and cars

The post Road Safety – Teens and Cars appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

My Baby On Board Is Behind The Wheel

Daun Thompson — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:05:19 +0000

Today is the day! My daughter passed her drivers test and now she has the privilege of driving among the rest of us. And, by “us”, I mean the really bad drivers. I’m not saying that she’s a good driver, she’s not. Looking back at my family history, I truly believe that being a bad driver is genetic. So, not only am I concerned for her life, I am also concerned for those lives around her.
She received her learner license about a year ago. Her sixteenth birthday was last October, and she could have gotten her driver license at that time, but I just wasn’t ready for that responsibility (and worry). So I was conveniently too busy to take her to the DPS (Department of Public Safety) to take her final driving test. She just wasn’t ready to be set loose on her own.
One thing that did impress me at the DPS office where she did her final evaluation and test, the clerk grabbed her by the wrist, looked her right in the eye and said “Now, you’re not going to text, talk on the phone, drive after midnight or have more than one non-relative under the age of 21 in the car with you, are you?” Of course, she replied “No.” And I truly hope she keeps her word. I have had to get on my daughter for texting under the table while we’re having a serious talk. She was looking me right in the eye as if she were really listening to me, and the whole time she was texting someone under the table. She calls it multi-tasking. I call it grounded…I think it’s just rude.
Although, I don’t feel in my heart that she has “mastered” the driving practices that were taught to her through the parent-taught drivers education course, nor through the online course that she completed, I have to release her into the mix with what little experience she has. She completed 32 hours of classroom education and 34 driving hours. It seems like a lot, I suppose. Especially to the student. But, to me, the single parent of an only child, no instruction is enough. And, as far as evasive driving goes, nothing prepares one for hydroplaning, avoiding an accident or steering/recovering from a skid. They can teach you all of that they want, but until you actually find yourself in one of these situations and experience it for yourself, little is learned through a diagram, a film or classroom demonstration. Fortunately, I have found a little extra help there can be obtained through the Drivers Edge. They do a national tour, annually. It’s free and teaches kids evasive driving, hands-on. They pick up where regular drivers education leaves off. You can find more information about this program at driversedge.org. Another place to find extra information is at DMV.org

There, you will find a free road sign practice test and other practice tests that can be very helpful.
Every little bit of knowledge surely helps. But there is no substitution for experience. And that, unfortunately, comes with time and a few dents. I don’t know how many years my health plan will cover my prescription for a nice, calming sedative…I’m hoping at least until she’s 21.

Until next week…if you’d like to pray for me, here’s how you spell my name…

Daun Thompson

The post My Baby On Board Is Behind The Wheel appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

A SAFE CAR FOR TEEN DRIVERS

Daun Thompson — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:59:23 +0000

Teen and Driver…now there are two words that scare the heck out of most people. And, when the two words are combined, that’s when it’s the scariest. My daughter turned 16 last October. She has had her provisional driver’s license since then, but I have been too “busy” to take her to the DPS to get her actual driver’s license. I must admit, I am worried about releasing her into the cruel, speeding, red light-blowing World.
But it is inevitable. She has made an appointment for her final test. It’s going to happen. And, when it does, until she gets her own car, should I hand over the keys to my car and hope it’s returned in one piece? I have owned that car for 8 years without a scratch. I park it in a garage and wash it regularly. It looks like I just drove it off the lot. Plus, there will be times where we both will need wheels. So I will have to invest in a car of her own. And that day will come soon. How will I decide which car to buy when she wants a sports car or a gas-guzzling SUV? I want a car I know she’ll be safe in. A sports car is out of the question. It would be too tempting in a sports car to drive aggressively, not to mention the insurance rates. An SUV is more difficult to handle and is more prone to rollover in an extreme situation. I can see that she already has difficulty driving my SUV.

Apparently the safest vehicle for a new driver would be a midsized car with a four-cylinder engine, automatic transmission, ABS, and high crash test scores. The logic is that a midsized car is big enough to protect occupants in a crash, but small enough for a novice driver to easily handle. The four-cylinder engine limits acceleration capabilities of the car, and generally provides better fuel economy (and thus improves the car’s “carbon footprint”). My little hippie chick will be concerned about that aspect, for certain. And automatic transmissions are easier to drive. ABS also makes braking easier, especially for a novice driver. Oh, these teen drivers…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publication, “Buying a Safer Car” has a selection that meet the above criteria, as well as pricing issues. It was very helpful for me. And, here’s the great part, since their website has issues from previous model years available, it is helpful for comparing used cars (which is all I can afford right now). Plus, I truly believe that the first car should be a practice car. There will surely be some scratches and dings (hopefully minor ones). My first car was like a boat…and when it went to the junk yard, crushed on all four sides, it was about the size of a Mini Cooper. The NHTSA selects vehicles that scored the maximum five stars for frontal collisions and front side impacts, and had at least four stars for rear side impact. All cars also scored at least four stars in the rollover evaluation. In viewing the recommended list, there is no doubt that none of these cars listed are vehicles my daughter wants to own. But I will remind her that she is getting a car and with that comes independence!

And a few more suggestions to add to your list when searching for that teen machine, AWD (all wheel drive), if available, is desirable to improve traction in poor weather conditions. Try to stay away from too many optional electronic gadgets in the car, as teens can be easily distracted and need to focus on the important task of …driving! … duh!

Until next week…keep your teen safe…and do your research when choosing their ride.

Daun Thompson

The post A SAFE CAR FOR TEEN DRIVERS appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.