Online Defensive Driving Tips

Teen Drivers say it’s ok to Speed

2011-05-11T01:07:00.001-07:00

At least 2 out of every 5 drivers say that it is ok to break the speed limit of 30mph by about 10 mph more. Nearly 25% of these drivers are between the ages of 16 and 21. These same drivers also feel that there is nothing wrong with drinking about one and a half pints of beer or alcohol before getting behind the wheel.

These survey results were a part of a campaign launched by the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety. A poll was taken for 500 people aged between 16 to 21 and showed that at least 9% of males in this age bracket thought it was ok to drink more than one and a half pints of beer or alcohol before driving. Also, nearly 60% of drivers though that young drivers tend to behave more dangerously when carrying other young passengers.

The 3 organizations that are launching this campaign are urging for a restriction as far as the time of the day that young drivers should drive in order to prevent late night accidents. Young drivers should also be prevented from carrying young passengers and be given a lower legal alcohol limit.

The campaign aims to bring attention to young drivers and crashes where needless casualties are the result.

Mothers are Distracted Drivers also!

2011-05-10T04:36:00.001-07:00

As cautious as women drivers try to be, they tend to get as distracted, if not more, than their male counterparts. And this holds true if the female driver in question is a mom.

What with moms having to shuffle between doing household chores, fixing lunch, dropping their kids to school and going to work themselves, they have very little time for themselves. Plenty of moms confess that they fix their makeup and eat their breakfasts while dropping their kids to school; while driving. Everybody knows that moms are probably one of the most distracted drivers around!

If you don’t want to be one of those unfortunate moms in a mess with the authorities for distracted driving, then here are some tips to help reduce distractions in your daily routine.

Make sure everyone in the car is buckled up before you get started, and keep checking on them during stopovers.
Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel at all times.
Never take calls while driving; divert all your calls to voicemail.
Allow a responsible passenger or an older child to handle your pphone calls and text messages.
If the phone call is urgent, then pull to the side of road before you answer it.
If needed, use a hands free device. But limit your usage.
Pull over to the side of the road and settle any arguments and disputes that may erupt in the car.
Never, never, never apply makeup or eat or even read anything when driving!

Aggressive Driving can Increase your Gas Mileage

2011-05-09T04:40:00.001-07:00

Gas prices in many parts of the United States, and across the world, have increased drastically, and many drivers are struggling to stretch their gas tanks as much as possible.

Apart from buying a fuel-efficient car, there are a few ways to help you save your money on fuel. Today, it is very important to watch how you drive instead of what you drive.

This means stop being aggressive on the roads! The U.S. Energy Department has announced that the biggest savings on fuel will come from avoiding aggressive driving. This can help lower your mileage by nearly 33 percent on highways and by about 5 percent around towns. Driving carefully is a great way to save on fuel. Gentle braking and gradual acceleration are great ways to save your fuel.

Choosing a Defensive Driving School for your Teen

2011-05-04T03:57:00.001-07:00

Statistics shown that car crashes and accidents kill more teens than suicide, homicide and cancer put together. And this is why it is very important to choose a reliable defensive driving school for your teen, as this could make all the difference between life or death. AAA or the Automobile Association of America has reported that teens only represent about 7% of the licensed population, but are involved in nearly 20% of all reported fatal accidents.

But in spite of these scary statistics, high gas prices and safety risks, there is no way you can curb the enthusiasm of a teen driver. Most teen drivers confess to being both nervous as well as excited about driving lessons, as it is new but something that they really want to do.

For teen aged 14 and 15 across the nation, AAA clubs have started offering free workshops and online tutorials. These courses are designed to give your teen that head start when looking for a good driving school, and they also provide the relevant tools and guidelines to help your teen learn how to drive.

New Comedy Guys Defensive Driving Class in Texas

2011-05-03T03:19:00.001-07:00

The Comedy Guys Defensive Driving courses are one of the biggest in Texas. They are now starting their newest class in Arlington. The newest course is at Arlington’s Third Base Sports Bar & Grill in 821 Six Flags Drive. The Comedy Guys Traffic School provides classes for drivers who wish to attend these classes in order to get a speeding ticket dismissed or get reduced auto insurance rates. The classes will be held on Friday’s and Saturday’s in the morning.

Arlington is a central metroplex, which is why having the classes there is ideal. It makes these classes easily available to all Arlington drivers, drivers from Western Dallas and the Easter side of Fort Worth, Irving, Mansfield and Grand Prairie. Third Base provides a dining room for students to learn from. It is a pleasant place with a great atmosphere for people to feel at ease and relaxed. The restaurant also provides a free lunch with refreshments.

Comedy Guys has been offering defensive driving classes in Texas for over 15 years now. They infuse humor into their stat approved driving courses and use professional comedians to teach these classes. They also provide defensive driving classes online and have a blog that provides safety tips for drivers.

Romeoville students to get Safety Driving Lessons

2011-05-02T02:48:00.001-07:00

The Romeoville Police Department is coordinating with the Romeoville High School to conduct a “Driver Safety Week” from Monday till Friday. The aim of this program is to increase the safety driving habits of teenage drivers. It has been reported that teenage drivers are involved in three times more fatal crashes than any other driver.

The main focus will be on three main issues that are related to crashes. These are: speeding, driving under the influence and safety belt usage. Today’s course will involve the department issuing informational brochures about vehicles in the parking lot in related to high school students who have been killed in the past due to speed-related accidents.

Tuesday’s course will have various officers stationed at different exits when the school releases. The officers will observe the students driving habits, whether the student is wearing a seat belt, etc. Students will be rewarded for driving safely and will be given a written warning for not driving safely. The department will also recruit students to give traffic statistics. These students will be provided with t-shirts and the traffic statistics will be announced on the intercom. The T-shirts indicate various statistics.

Wednesday’s course will see the officers conducting safety belt inspections in the school area. The police will issue warning tickets to those not wearing seat belts.

Thursday’s course will see the police giving safety driving classes to students of the school.

Friday’s course will include the department conducting a safety program before the prom.

How to Steer Clear of Dangerous Drivers

2011-05-02T01:09:00.001-07:00

No matter how safe a driver you are or how all your family members practice the best defensive driving techniques, every time you hit the road, there will always be some other driver you need to watch out for. Irrespective of age, defensive driving is extremely important for drivers who are young as well as old. But how do you steer clear of dangerous drivers on the road?

Watch out for drivers who use cell phones. It is illegal to use hand-held devices while driving in many states, but this hasn’t stopped many drivers from using their mobile phones while driving. Using cell phones while driving has resulted in 636,000 crashes, 12,000 serious injuries, 330,000 injuries and 2,600 deaths every year. If you see a driver using his mobile phone, then keep an eye on him and try to put as much distance between your vehicle and his.

Speeding, tailgating and drivers who change lanes too quickly can also cause accidents. Look out for speeding drivers so that you are not caught off-guard. If you are on a multi-lane highway, then shift to the right to let a speeding vehicle pass you by and get out of your way. Tailgaters can also cause crashes if you are forced to suddenly stop, so move to another lane or slow down to allow the vehicle to overtake.

Always pay attention to the road ahead of you, the road behind and to your sides. Look out for cars, bicycles, pedestrians and debris or for vehicles that are signaling a change in movement.

Safe Driving can Save Gas Money

2011-04-28T04:23:00.001-07:00

With gasoline prices on the rise (again!), drivers can benefit greatly from a few tips on how to reduce gasoline expenses said the U.S. Department of Energy. According to this agency, reckless driving includes speeding and rapid acceleration and braking, and this can result in lowering your gas mileage by nearly 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent in town.

In general, it is a known fact that every 5 miles that you drive over 60 mph is going to result in you paying an additional $24 cents per gallon of gas. Excessive engine idling also results in wastage of gasoline.

Using your car’s overdrive gears and cruise control appropriately also leads to better mileage. Try not to place unnecessary heavy items in your car, as adding an extra 100 pounds to your car will reduce the miles per gallon by nearly 2 percent.

Maintaining your car regularly can save you a lot of money on gasoline. Fixing any serious problems like a faulty oxygen sensor can result in nearly 40 percent improvement in mileage. Also, check if your tires are properly inflated and use proper grade oil.

Drivers should carefully plan their trips, and instead of going out on just one errand, they should handle multiple errands on one trip. Mass transit and carpooling are also better ways to save fuel.

Aggressive Driving Targeted in Cleveland

2011-04-28T01:25:00.001-07:00

If you’re in Cleveland, then you’ve probably noticed the increase in the number of traffic control cruisers along I-271 and I-90. And if you’re going to drive like a nutcase, the traffic cops are going to catch you for sure.

State troopers have been doing their rounds looking for aggressive drivers. 8 troopers are on duty in Cuyahoga County are on the lookout for tailgaters and other driving miscreants.

Some of the traffic violations that troopers will be on the lookout for are:

Improper lane changing.

Tailgating.

Drinking and Driving.

Speeding.

Attempting to push other cars into the next lane.

Following too closely.

If any of these are observed, the drivers will be pulled over and may get a ticket.

Drivers increasingly using Twitter behind the Wheel

2011-04-26T02:53:00.001-07:00

Police offers across the country have warned drivers about the dangers of using Twitter and other social networking sites behind the wheel after studies were shown that more and more people have been using social networking sites while driving.

Research has shown that at least one in five drivers have admitted to checking Twitter and other social networking sites when driving. This makes social networking a great danger behind the wheels and is high up there amongst other driving dangers like speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and driving under the influence.

In spite of it being illegal to use mobile phones while driving, drivers are carelessly ignoring this law and still using mobile phones to tweet and check Facebook.

Are Distracted Driving laws going too far?

2011-04-25T04:23:00.001-07:00

A lot of citizens are of the belief that the distracted driving laws carried out by the state government are going a wee bit too far. A lot of people feel that this is management at its worst! Where will it end? People with children feel that the biggest distraction when driving is their kid, so should their kids be outlawed? Should taking pickles off your burger be banned? Should texting while at a red light also be banned?

The law maintains that any motor vehicle driver should devote all of his time and attention to driving and should refrain from any kind of activity that could cause distractions. A lot of people have been complaining about these laws and want to know how to identify a specific distraction.

Many drivers are calling out for a little more common sense as far as legal restrictions are concerned. Yes drivers tend to eat, talk to passengers. Change CD’s and deal with misbehaving children. Laws should take this into consideration before coming up with restrictions.

What does the law have to say about this?

Bicyclists have Road Rage!

2011-04-21T01:26:00.001-07:00

Of course, bicyclists too have every right to use our roads, except for those roads from which they are excluded legally. Many drivers today complain about sharing the roads with bicyclists, as they have to endure a few more seconds of delay. However, coexisting with your cyclist counterparts is just a basic driving skill. And those drivers who cannot do this should not be made to drive.

But every once in a while, we hear news of bicyclists wrecking havoc as well! There have been many incidents where cyclists were found to flaunt the traffic rules and were caught riding their cycles on the road for automobiles. When admonished for this, many cyclists have used expletives and other aggressive behavior to prove their point.

Running a signal, rude behavior and riding on the wrong side of the road can get many cyclists in trouble with the law. Bicyclists who are looking for protection of the 3-foot rule should always observe it themselves in the first place. People who operate 3 pound vehicles have no business losing their cool around far heavier vehicles.

Safety Driving Tips that never change with the Season

2011-04-20T01:47:00.001-07:00

Although is long gone, the traffic Police are still reminding drivers that roads are equally as busy, and it is important for motorists to not let their guards down as far as safety driving is concerned. Here are a few important tips to remember in all weather conditions:

Keep those mobile phones aside: Many motorists repeatedly defy the law regarding the use of mobile phones will driving. Distracted driving is becoming one of the major reasons for motor vehicle crashes.

Keep those Seatbelts Buckled: All passengers and drivers should wear their seatbelts in a securely fastened and properly adjusted manner. Ensure that children are also secured in a baby seat or a properly installed child restraint.

Obey the Speed Limit: Speed is one of the major causes for fatalities. Obeying the speed limits and slowing down can greatly reduce the chances of crashed and injuries from taking place.

Slow down or move over: If you find yourself passing an emergency vehicle with its emergency lights on, then it is important to slow down and let the vehicle pass. If the road has many lanes, then move over to another lane safely.

Never drink and drive: If you have been drinking heavily and your blood alcohol level registers above the legal limit, then you could lose your license for a few days. The penalties for drinking and driving could also include prison time!

Traffic safety helps everyone. Blatantly ignoring the law cannot be excused. So, follow these tips every time you are behind the wheel and you’ll help to keep the roadways the safest!

Do Hi-tech Gadgets on Vehicles compromise their safety?

2011-04-19T01:44:00.001-07:00

Having too much of a good thing is just not possible, and this applies to vehicle safety as well. More and more engineers are getting increasingly excited about developing new safety gadgets for vehicles. What with gadgets like the Brake Assist Plus system, the DISTRONIC proximity control systems and the Traffic Jam Vehicle Follow Assist systems, drivers now literally have very minimal control over their own vehicles. Systems are being engineered to self-steer vehicles and to keep vehicles at a safe distance from the one in front, as well as to follow various traffic safety procedures.

Companies have been boasting about developing vehicles that can park themselves, slow down if you get too close to another vehicle and check your blind spots for you. So, what’s next? Is there going to be a vehicle that can wipe your nose for you now?

The most concerning aspect about these electronic driver aids is that when a motorist gets into a vehicle and doesn’t have to do anything, because he’s used to these safety features driving home safely. But what if something goes wrong? What if a fuse blows and the aid doesn’t work?

Yes, automotive engineers are taking away the responsibility from the driver. They’re separating drivers away from the whole driving environment and placing them in a false safety cocoon. Motorists are concentrating less on driving and depending more on these safety aids.

Teens learn the dangers of Impaired Driving

2011-04-15T01:29:00.001-07:00

With spring on its way in and the summer holidays just around the corner, high school students have been spending more time behind the wheel. And this can only mean that the potential for more accidents involving teens is at an all time high. This is why Hall County officials have been doing their rounds around the high school areas to educate kids on the dangers of impaired driving.

Lt. Gene Joy, Hall County’s Sheriff said that the team was at the Johnson High School on Thursday, educating the students through a realistic skit called “Fatal Vision” that uses actual vehicles that were present in actual crashes.

There are actual smoke grenades that go off to make it look like an actual car crash said Lt. Joy. The actors and actresses in the skit have fake “blood” on them to make it look more realistic. Also, emergency personnel respond to the scene of the accident to make it more realistic.

The goal behind this is to ensure that teen drivers make better driving decisions behind the wheel. Once they see this skit and then get behind the wheel, they are going to think about the skit and make better decisions.

Students Video’s warn others of the risks of distracted driving

2011-04-14T01:38:00.001-07:00

Dylan Lard, an 18 year old guy from Montevallo, hopped into his car with a friend to drive from Auburn to Tuscaloosa. While driving on Interstate 459, Lard began to feel very drowsy behind the wheel and closed his eyes for a bit. In doing so, he not only lost control of the car, but also lost control of his life.

But miraculously, Lard woke up in the hospital after nearly 2 days after the wreck but found out that his neck was broken and his left hand would be permanently paralyzed. Today, Lard is a full time senior broadcast student at the University of Montevallo and he, along with 15 other students, have completed a recent campaign to spread awareness about the dangers and risks of distracted driving.

The students created a video called, “Distracted Driving: A Deadly Mixture”. Being a community service project, the video was filmed, edited and produced in a series of segments covering a wide range of topics from distracted driving and impaired driving to texting and driving and drowsy driving.

The videos are designed to act as a teaching tool for parents and teachers of students in middle to high school. The longest video is about 7 minutes long and allows teachers to show them to their starts and discuss the issues covered in the classroom. Each video features local students, parents and experts who have had experiences with distracted driving and can provide facts about the latest research.

Go back to Driving School and Learn about Roundabouts

2011-04-13T01:25:00.001-07:00

Sioux Falls is now building its second roundabout on 69th Street and Southeastern Avenue. This circular intersection is a relatively new concept for most of the traffic engineers in town. The recent success of the first roundabout has led to plans of building a second one.

The first roundabout on Career Avenue has the University Center surrounding it and was a fairly new concept for the city. But it has also taken off fairly well. And this is why city engineers have decided that it is time for another one. This move has led to a fairly favorable response from the city resident and the next roundabout to come up will be in a more residential setting.

However, intersection safety is a very important topic to cover. The safety council in the city will talk about intersection safety and roundabouts in its defensive driving classes. A roundabout is nothing more than just a circular intersection but it is important to pay careful attention to the road signs and pavement markings. This way, vehicles can actually be kept moving instead of making them stop at red lights. This reduces the crash rates in a more efficient manner.

Injuries due to crashes have been reduced by nearly 70% with roundabouts instead of traditional intersections. Deaths have almost been eliminated. As long as drivers obey and stick to the signs and use their blinkers when turning out of the intersection, everything will run smoothly.

American Trucking reaches record levels of driver safety!

2011-04-12T00:25:00.001-07:00

The American Trucking Association has just released a record that says that American trucking has never been safer than it is today! According to these records, the number of truck-related injuries and fatalities in the United States fell to nearly 1.17 percent per 100 million miles in 2009 – which is now called the industry’s safest year.

This comes as great news to the trucking industry as well as to the entire motoring public! The improvements made to the trucking industry are a clear testament to the commitment to safety that is made by the industry. The drivers of course deserve most of the credit. And ATA as well for its efforts in training and educating the motoring public.

Since the highways are where most truckers spend their working hours, it is very important for them to be as safe as possible. Through the ATA Share the Program, truckers now have the opportunity to directly connect with all other motorists and teach them the best defensive driving techniques.

Nursing Student provides safe rides for potential drunk drivers

2011-04-10T23:29:00.001-07:00

In spite of her busy schedule as a vocational nursing student at the Angelina College, Jessica Johnson has volunteered to become a designated driver, available to anyone, at anytime. This comes after the death of her best friend, Zayne Anthony, in a freak drunk driving accident in February. Jessica has volunteered to start a designated driving program for all Lufkin residents who need a ride home after having a couple of drinks.

Jessica knows at least 5 people who have died due to drunk driving. In an effort to promote her campaign, Jessica has even bought herself a cell phone and has started distributing fliers about her “Last Call” program, where anyone who has had too much to drink can call her and get a free ride home.

If more people could be as responsible as Jessica, the roads would be a safer place to drive in. Fortunately, there are plenty of defensive driving campaigns that teach drivers how to drive responsibly.

Truck Driver spills scrap metal on highway and causes accident

2011-04-08T01:40:00.001-07:00

A truck driver was charged with careless driving yesterday after he caused an accident on the US Highway 90. 45 year old Jerry James Goodwin of DeFuniak Springs was driving his sem0truck when he rammed into the back end of a Chevrolet Silverado on Thursday afternoon.

The semi-truck then proceeded to overturn and slid across the highway. The truck blocked the entire eastbound lane and even blocked part of the westbound lane as well.

The semi-truck was also carrying a whole load of scrap steel and iron, which spilled onto the highway. The driver was charged with careless driving.

Traffic Fatalities in the United States fall to an all time low in 2010

2011-04-07T01:41:00.001-07:00

The number of traffic-relates fatalities in the United States fell to an all time low in 2010, says reports from the Department of Transportation. According to reports sent in from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2010 was marked as the year of lowest traffic-related fatalities with a figure of 32,788 fatalities. This comes as a 3% drop from the overall figure reported in 2009.

Furthermore, it was reported that in 2010 the rate of 1.09 deaths per 100 million miles of vehicle travel was recorded as the lowest since 1949. The latest figures to come out show a 5% drop in fatalities since 2005, when nearly 43,510 deaths were recorded.

These figures are particularly surprising when you take into consideration the fact that Americans drove 3 trillion million miles in 2010, the most ever driven since 2007. The Northwest Pacific states of Oregon, Washington. Montana, Idaho and Alaska registered the biggest drops in fatality rates.

The department has said that this is due to drivers paying more attention to drunk driving and using seatbelts.

Officials increase Law Enforcement to promote Highway Work Zone Safety

2011-04-06T01:44:00.001-07:00

For many of those who live in and around Perry Hall, the Interstate 95 is just a short drive away. And although highways such as this are more convenient and provide for a faster route to work for most drivers, they are also an extremely dangerous environment for road workers to be on.

Earlier this week, state and federal officials had hosted an event near the future Intercounty Connector’s I-95 interchange so as to promote highway work zone safety. Apart from familiarizing the general public with various safety measures, officials have also sent out warnings about increased law enforcement in highway work zones.

Highway work zone crashes are dangerous for the workers as well as the drivers. In the last decade, work zone crashes in Maryland have reached to nearly 2,600 cases a year. Conditions however, are improving.

In spit f the increase in the traffic, and the increase in the repair work and highway construction work taking place, road safety has increased and work zone accidents are reducing. Progress is definitely being made, but drivers should continue paying attention to road workers on highways.

Distracted Drivers to be carefully scrutinized in April

2011-04-05T01:35:00.001-07:00

The California Highway Patrol along with other law enforcement officers are now planning to keep an extra lookout for distracted drivers this month – the National Distracted Driving Month.

Officers will be on the lookout for drivers using mobile phones while driving or drivers who text and drive or even eat and apply makeup while driving on the highway.

Enforcement commenced on Monday and will go on till Tuesday, as well as on the 20th and 21st of April – focused enforcement days. The month long education campaigns coupled with the focused enforcement campaigns comes as an effort to target distracted drivers. To kick off this campaign, a media event was hosted where drivers were given certain tasks like eating, texting and applying makeup while driving on a closed circuit course.

Loud Music is another big Distraction while Driving

2011-04-01T01:34:00.002-07:00

Parents who are looking to improve their kids’ driving skills and ensure that they are safe behind the wheel should firstly warn them against using mobile phones while driving, sending or receiving text messages while driving, overcrowding the car with too many passengers, drinking and driving and going faster than the speed limit. Driving is dangerous and reminding them of the dangers can only help keep them aware.

Warning your kids makes a lot of sense because every day more and more teens are killed in car crashes that occur due to distracted or drunken driving. As parents, you’ve probably already warned your kids about these threats. But how many of us have actually warned our kids about a very deceptive danger, one that many of us indulge in for a pleasurable driving experience?

We’re talking about listening to loud music while driving! Surveys have shown that nearly 93% of teen drivers tend to play loud music while driving, which always has a distracting influence on them. Here are a few findings with regards to loud music and distracted driving:

Loud music prevents the driver from hearing horns or sirens.

Loud music is generally treated as an annoyance offense in most states.

Studies have shown that adjusting the radio or CD player contributes to the biggest driving distraction.

Jalen Rose, ESPN Employee, caught drunk driving

2011-03-31T01:34:00.001-07:00

Jalen Rose, the former NBA player and Fab Five alum was arrested earlier this month for allegedly driving while under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested in Michigan. The incident took place on March 11th, when Rose’s Cadillac Escalade was reported by a passerby as having driven off an icy road.

Once the police arrived on the scene, Rose refused to take a breathalyzer and was instead sent to a hospital where a blood alcohol test was taken. Rose’s attorney has said that Rose is willing to cooperate with the Michigan authorities and address any issues in court and not with the press.

If Rose was indeed driving under the influence, then he should have known better than to do that. Celebrities and athletes are role models for plenty of kids around the world, and such antics can influence others kids to behave in the same way. If he was indeed drunk, then he could have certainly afforded a cab and gone home in one.