Online Defensive Driving Tips

Sherrod Brown, the U.S. Senator of Ohio, is reportedly calling for passage of the Roads Safe Act. This measure would fund a program for creating a device that would prohibited drivers who are intoxicated from being able to start their vehicles. Brown spoke at Cleveland Police Headquarters, explaining that this bill would authorize $12 million in the annual funding for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety program for five years. According to Brown, the funding for all this is going to be provided through the money that the federal government has appropriated for the road safety initiatives. This renders the bill cost neutral. Julie Legget is fully supporting this legislation. Legget is the executive director of the northeast Ohio chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Legget says that drunk driving is now reaching epidemic proportions in Ohio. Ohio, has the third worst record in the nation reporting over 122 thousand driv...

Of course you love your spouse, but do you feel the need to have separate vehicles when you are driving together to work or a week end road trip? If your answer is yes, read on to find out how you can maintain a safe environment when one of you is behind the wheel. It is possible to get lost, even with the use of maps and GPS. Sit down and come to a mutual agreement on direction responsibility. This will avoid chaos when you do lose your way. Also, delegate the task of asking directions. This should be done by the passenger, because they will be more familiar with the information given in the map. You know each other’s driving style and probably don't even approve of it. However, if you find your spouse's unusual behavior while driving, get them to talk to you and calm them down. Then, perhaps, the driver can pay proper attention to driving safely. As a passenger, do not gasp or make some other distractive action if you come across a situation that poses potential danger. It is...

Pay heed to this! It is very important to retain your defensive driving skills, as a little slip can lead to heavy losses – in terms of life and property. With the winter still going on strong, a lot of accidents have occurred due to icy roads and inhospitable weather. On Monday, January 24, the Minnesota State Troopers in the west central and northern regions once again started the week with poor visibility and icy roads. Reports have shown that those motorists who have been driving too fast in spite of the poor conditions have led to more than their fair share of accidents. 52 vehicles have slid off the road according to reports sent by the State Patrol. What’s more, troopers have also reportedly responded to an additional 21 crashes out which 14 were rollovers and 3 involved serious injuries. With such accidents taking place as recently as the start of this week, it is no wonder why defensive driving classes are becoming increasingly essential.

Cintas Corporation announced yesterday that it is providing an opportunity for companies to improve the safety of employees behind the wheel with Free Online Defensive Driving Awareness Training Offer through 28th February, 2011. This safety training course will focus on safe driving practices and distractions that can cause drivers loss of concentration on the road. It will also help reduce costs and increase driver productivity for businesses. The online course catalog includes first aid and CPR, automatic external defibrillator (AED), fire extinguisher and other topics. The Director of AEDs and Training, Cintas, David Bingham said, “In 2009, nearly 34,000 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in United States. So it is extremely important that companies spend the time and the resources to train their employees on defensive driving techniques that they can use whether they are delivering goods and services to their customers or simply driving to and from work”. The training an...

While law makers are trying to eliminate distractions like texting and using cell phones while driving, many motorists are now tagging along another risk – their dogs. According to experts, an unrestrained dog in a moving vehicle can be lethal. Dogs curled up on a lap, resting their paws on the steering wheel or merely hanging out of the window can pose quite a lot of risk. Several thousand car accidents that occur each year are believed to have been caused by unrestrained pets. Katherine Miller, the director of applied science and research for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says, “An unrestrained pet can be hugely distracting – if he is seeking your attention, putting his face right in front of yours, starts chewing up the upholstery or is vomiting because he is carsick”. This issue is now attracting attention in some of the statehouses. Hawaii, for instance, absolutely forbids drivers from driving with a pet on their lap. Similarly, the Oregon lawmakers...

The law enforcers of York County stress safe driving for all those people who must drive on ice and snow slicked roads. The recent snowstorms resulted in plenty of vehicular crashes and accidents. And with each snow fall, more crashes can be expected. The Regional Police Sgt. of Northern York County, David Steffen says, “Every time we have a storm, there are accidents”. The experts had predicted worse weather overnight in Friday morning rush hour. Also, they predict a storm for Tuesday into Wednesday. Steffen believes that there is a rise in number of accidents because there are many new drivers behind the wheel who are experiencing snow storms for the first time. Similarly, there are elderly drivers whose skills might be diminishing with age. “The amount of snow during a storm can hamper a driver's judgment”, he added. Large snowfalls, just like the “Snowpocalypse” that occurred last year, make it easier for people to make the decision of staying indoors. These smaller snowfalls, ...

Make America’s roads safer by joining the defensive driving and advanced driving courses that are soon coming to Malibu/Hollywood by the end of February. If you think that defensive driving courses are all boring, then it is time for something new! Back in the days prior to WWII, the British Government found that police officers were driving too fast when pursuing culprits or were involved in many rash driving cases where innocent people were either injured or killed. As a result of this, the world’s best road-driver training program was born! Known as the “System of Car Control”, this course is a one of a kind program that is regularly taught to the British police and traffic patrol officers and they now enjoy the reputation of the best drivers in the world. This particular course was made available to the civilians back in 1955 and was brought to the United States in 1999, where it was adapted for all North American Drivers. The President of Advanced Drivers of America, Eddie Wren,...

Teen drivers will now be able to learn safe driving habits with the Tracy Chapter’s, of the Get Real behind the Wheel, has its first on-track training program on Sunday at the Altamont Motorsports Park. This particular program helps young drivers test and further their driving skills while they face a number of challenges and hazards on a tested driving course at the race track. Teens will navigate through the course under extreme conditions, like distracted driving and hydroplaning. This program is free of charge. The founder of the program, Ken Ucci, has seen a wide number of students participating in the program and has said that the numbers will continue to rise. Till date, the program has seen a grand number of 1,000 teens go through training. The program on Sunday will have anywhere between 40 and 60 teen drivers driving at the course, which is a far cry from the first program that had only 6 drivers. Ken Ucci hopes that more teen drivers will participate in this program and will...

In the Waterloo region, drivers can expect to struggle with a bit of everything today. This everything includes snow, rain as well as freezing rain. With this, you can also expect to see a significant rise in the number of vehicular crashes. This fact has left veteran police officers shaking their heads. Winter road conditions are nothing new in Canada, unless you are new to the country or a novice driver. At the beginning of every season, winter driving tips are issued out. However, this does not help in the scene of crashes and accidents. OPP Const. Ken Upton says, “We continue to see motorists not putting these things into practice. Your lack of safe driving practices can affect the lives of the other motorists on the highway”. The latest storm system can possibly bring snow to southern Ontario before a warm up pushes the mercury above the freezing mark. This is when the roads might get really messy, especially if the temperature transition brings with it a period of freezing rain o...

An Albany man is still recovering from the hit and run accident that almost killed him. Jimmy Shemwell, aged 59, was hit by someone driving a pickup truck, when he was riding his bicycle on Gillionville Road. The incident occurred on New Year's Day. It has been two weeks now that he was hospitalized and the police are on the hunt for the driver who hit him. Shemwell worked at the Albany YMCA for more than 30 years. Shemwell is well known for his big heart and positive attitude. And that is something he has maintained, even after his accident. When a bicycle collides with a truck, there are going to be problems. Shemwell said, “It almost broke all my ribs on the left side”. His nephew Foy Shemwell said, “They've got him on a stretcher and the first thing he said was, 'I don't think we'll make the Falcons game on Saturday'”. On New Year's Day, Jimmy Shemwell left his house and headed to church, passing by the YMCA where he works and which has surveillance came...

The Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s county’s sheriffs offices have all observed a steady decrease in the number of motor vehicles crashes involving deputies in the last 3 years. In 2009, Calvert County recorded a total of 46 accidents that involve deputies, with nearly 21 being preventable or caused due to the deputy. In 2010 however, Calvert County recorded a decreased number of 37 accidents with only 9 listed as being preventable. In the past 3 years in Calvert County, there have been 3 accident cases that involved deputies during high speed chases. One accident killed an 18 year old girl when a deputy who was responding to a domestic call managed to T-bone her car at a high speed. The decrease in these incidents is due to the hiring of new recruits who are all young and fresh out of the police academy. After the incidents in 2009, many of the recruits and older deputies have had to undergo some serious training, in order to make things better. Many of these trainings include defensi...

For many years now, the government has been emphasizing the importance of taking defensive driving courses, especially for P-platers. Denis Gregory, the president of the Gnoo Blas Classic Car Club has commented after the government made clear about its concern over the financial problems faced by teenagers without a car or in disadvantaged circumstances, as they attempt to complete the required 120 hours of driving. Many people have also opposed plans to reduce theses driving hours, as they claim that it will definitely result in more road accidents. Mr. Gregory on the other hand, has states that best way to ensure that P-platers become better and safer drivers is to teach them how to be defensive behind the wheel. When young drivers get their license, many of them seem to think that they are invincible. But when they find themselves driving in drastic conditions, like in the rains and they find that they are stuck on a corner, in most cases they don’t know how to get out of the situat...

New safety driving courses will be held this month by AAA Arizona. These safety driving courses aim towards keeping teenagers and senior citizens free from collision in the year 2011. The classes held in Scottsdale and Phoenix are going to provide families with tips on safety and defensive driving. They will also illustrate the traffic fatalities statistics for the targeted age groups. You can register online for these 90 minute courses. The teen driving courses will focus on the safe and responsible behavior expected when teens are behind the wheel. The driving courses for seniors, educates families when they need to seek transportation facilities for those who no longer can get behind the wheel. According to the national traffic safety experts, the most accident prone people in the U.S. are those aged between 16 to 20 years old and those older than 65. A 2010 research study showed one in three parents thought that their teenage children were still not prepared to drive unsupervised i...

Keeping in mind the winter storm that is going to hit the city on Sunday and Monday, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety issued a list of tips for driving safely on icy, snow covered roads: 1.If it is not necessary to go out during the hazardous weather conditions, then don't go. It is always better to stay at home in such situations. 2.If you are driving, concentrate completely on the road. This is not that time of the year when you can get away with one hand texting and the other holding coffee. Drive with both hands on the wheel. 3.Do not drive fast or you may lose control of your vehicle. Many drivers fall in trouble with unseen pockets of icy road. Give yourself plenty of time to reach the destination. 4.Avoid tailgaiting. At higher speeds, do not group up with other vehicles. This will help you avoid chain reaction crashes. 5.Do not use cruise control while driving on ice or snow or sleet. Cruise control is designed for only normal conditions suitable for driving. ...

The storm forecast for Friday may not bring much snow. However, driving to work might still be risky. Keeping this in mind, Triple-A Mid-Atlantic is dishing out a few do's and don’ts to keep you prepared. The Do’s: Do not Speed: Keep your speed to minimum. If you are too fast for these conditions, you might meet with an accident. Emergency Kit: Pack an emergency kit and keep it in your vehicle at all times. Your kit should include an ice scraper, kitty litter and shovels. Don't forget to throw in non-perishable food stuffs, just in case you find yourself stranded somewhere. Dress Warmly: Wear woolen clothes if you can to keep yourself warm. You can even keep a spare blanket in your vehicle in case you get stuck. The Don’ts: Avoid slamming your brakes: This might cause your vehicle to skid, and you might meet with an accident. Stick to one lane: Changing lanes might make you lose control of your vehicle, resulting in a nasty accident. Stay Calm: If you feel your vehicle skid...

The AAA, New York or Alcoholics Anonymous is all set to conduct a rigorous 6 hour defensive driving and driver improvement course. The course will be held on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mohawk Valley Community College, 1101 Sherman Drive. With a reasonable priced fee structure, all AAA members are required to pay $39 for the course, while the AAA Plus members are required to pay $32 for the course. The AAA senior members of age 60 and above are also required to pay $32. AAA young driver members between the ages of 16 to 24 are required to pay $32 as well. Non-members will be charged $49. Everyone who takes this defensive driving course will also receive an added benefit of a 10 percent discount on their collision and liability insurance, and a reduction of nearly 4 points on their New York state license. However, a point to be noted is that the class is limited, so reserve immediately! With more and more institutions taking up defensive driving education as a responsibility,...

Every year, approximately three thousand teens, between the ages of fifteen and nineteen, lose their lives due to accidental car wrecks or mishaps. This is a nationwide statistic that has been developed by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, also commonly known as the CDC. You will be shocked to know that a majority of patients who are admitted in the emergency rooms are primarily admitted due to road collisions and mishaps. However, the good news is that many private and government organizations are working towards changing those statistics. One of the people working towards reducing the high level of risk that is associated with driving is none other than Woodrow Gaines. Present below is a list that highlights some of his statements that basically bring to light the significance of various defensive driving techniques: 1.“Our program is an advanced driving training program teaching teens accident avoidance skills.” 2.“Our teens are getting into crashes for a million differ...

How many times have you vowed to practice safe and defensive driving tactics and not text when you are behind the wheel? And how many times has this resolution blown up in smoke? Well, this year, things are going to be different. Your New Year's resolution to not drink and drive is actually going to work. PhoneGuard is a new application that has been launched especially to help you be amongst those 75 per cent of people who can keep up their New Year resolution beyond the very first week of the year. This anti-texting software fabricated for cell phones deactivates the keyboard thus eliminating the possibility of texting or emailing while driving or whenever parents find it inappropriate. This software disables emailing, texting and all the different distractions while driving a vehicle. When the cell phone is moving at more than 10 mph, this application automatically disables the keyboard thus eliminating all the possible distractions. Also, this phone can tell you when the driver...

In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year, approximately 3,000 young adults between the ages of 15 to 19 are killed. Also, the CDC stated that, “more than 10 patients that were treated in emergency rooms were for wreck-related injuries”. Fortunately, several organizations that 'Fear This' are working to change those statistics. Woodrow Gaines, an important member of Fear This said that, “Our program is an advanced driving training program teaching teens accident avoidance skills.” he further went on to say that, “Our teens are getting into crashes for a million different reasons and part of that is a lack of training.” Gaines even mentioned that these courses teach the same material that is required by police academies. Furthermore, they not only teach students about the various defensive driving techniques from a desk, but they also take the trainees outside for practical lessons. Teens will learn about certain defensive techniques, such as ...