Staying Prepared for Yellow Lights

Preparing for Yellow Lights

Do you remember playing “Red Light / Green Light” as a kid? Too bad it wasn't “Green Light / Yellow Light”. Maybe then we'd all be a little better at handling the light changing from green to yellow when driving. So, what should you do, or better asked, what shouldn't you do when a stop light turns from green to yellow to red?

For starters don't think that being “across the line” or “half way through the intersection” before the light turns red has anything to do with making the correct decision at a yellow light. Many people think that. The vehicle code says that if you can make a reasonable stop when the light turns from green to yellow, then you should. Reasonable is the key word here. Nobody would expect you to skid to a stop, or stop way over the line. However, a stop that is a little harder than usual could be “reasonable”. So, it is entirely possible to have made it all the way through the intersection, and still be in violation of the light. An officer may determine that you did have time to make a reasonable stop but chose not to.

Instead, think of the “point of no return” as you approach all green lights. The point of no return is the point after which you can no longer make a reasonable stop. If the light turns yellow before you hit that point, you stop. If the light turns yellow after that point, then you continue at the speed limit through the intersection. This is a very easy task if you don’t fall into one or both of two traps; distractions and speeding.

First, many people look away while approaching a green light from a distance. They may see the green light at first, and then go to change the radio, reach for a drink, or some other distraction. Then, when they look back up, the light has turned yellow. In addition to being caught off guard, they are not sure exactly when the light turned yellow. This makes them more likely to make a bad choice.

The second problem comes with speeding. Many people speed as they are approaching intersections. Speeding at an intersection is a very bad idea. Intersections are where most accidents and most fatalities happen. In addition to that, yellow lights are timed based on the speed limit. If the limit is 25 mph then the light will stay yellow for a shorter period of time than when the limit is 45 mph. If you are traveling 35 or 40 mph in a 25 mph zone, and the light turns yellow, you have just made it impossible to make the right decision, and have set yourself up for a dual violation.

Remember to avoid these two major problems, and train your brain to think of the “point of no return” each time you approach a green light. If you can do that, then you will have no problems when that light turns from green to yellow.

Good Luck and Stay Safe.

SHOULD THE PENALTIES FOR DUI BE INCREASED FOR CALIFORNIA DRIVERS?

By Mike Thomas
AllGood Driving School

Do you think the penalties for DUI should be increased for California drivers?

There are currently approximately 10,000 deaths due to DUI each year in the United States. The State of California makes up for about 10% of those. Multiply that figure by 10, and you get the number of people who are permanently injured each year as a result of DUI related crashes. Recent estimates put the financial cost to society as a result of DUI at around 132 billion dollars. Clearly, DUI is still a huge problem for society.

So, since we don't seem to be making much progress towards solving the problem, should the legal and financial consequences to DUI be increased. Let's look at what a first time offender for DUI currently faces.

1. Pay a fine of $390 to $1000 in addition to court and administrative fees.
2. Spend a minimum of 48 hours in jail, in addition to any time served on the day of arrest.
3. Have your license suspended for 6 months, with the possibility of it only being restricted to travel to and from work.
4. 3 years probation.
5. Attend alcohol awareness classes at the offenders expense, usually $500-$1000. Attend them every night for 2 weeks.
6. Receive 2 points on your record for the next 10 years This means insurance premium increases.
7. Pay around $3000 for a DUI attorney.
8. Possibly have to purchase and install an IID (ignition interlock device) on your vehicle at your expense.

On average the total cost to a person convicted of DUI in California runs around $10,000.

Now consider that NONE of this has changed, with the exception of the IID, for the last 25 years. So, considering the fact that DUI is still a huge problem, do think these consequences should be changed, and if so, what changes would you make?

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR THOUGHTS!

For more information about us, visit our website: www.allgooddrivers.com

Should The Driving Age Be Raised To 18 Years Old?

By Mike Thomas
AllGood Driving School
1/20/13




Should the driving age be raised to 18? 

This question has been around since I learned to drive in the mid 80's, and probably longer than that. It is a question that has sparked much controversy, with valid arguments from both sides of the fence. It has also caused much angst for many a teen, as rumors are constantly flowing from older teens to younger teens about how the law has already changed. Well, the fact is, that in most places the law has not changed, at least not yet.

I definitely have an opinion on this issue, but I am very interested in hearing what you think about it. This is, by no means, an exhaustive list, but here are some things to consider before posting your comments:

Safety Concerns

Safety concerns are the driving force behind most proponents of raising the driving age. The statistics for newly licensed 16 year old drivers are alarming. Studies report that this group is 6 to 10 times more likely to have a collision than a 25-70 year old. Driving is also the leading cause of death for this age group. There are also some surprising new studies that show that the brain of a 16 year old is less developed, and has higher levels of chemicals related to taking risks, than the brain of an 18 year old. However, there are few studies that document the driving of newly licensed 18 year old drivers, or 25 year old drivers for that matter. So we can't really be 100 percent sure if it is the age of the driver, or just the fact that the driver is newly licensed, that results in these alarming statistics. One must also consider that parent's still play a majority role in the education of new drivers. If the driving age suddenly becomes 18, many parents will be removed from the education equation which could have a disastrous effect.We all want to save lives, but will raising the driving age save lives, or simply delay the inevitable?

Educational Concerns

The current laws in most states require that drivers under the age of 18 do some sort of required education before they receive a license. These are typically referred to as graduated driver licensing programs (GDLs). Currently, they are required by 36 states with that number growing all the time.  The GDLs usually consist of some sort of classroom driver education, followed by behind the wheel training and/or practice with parents. There may be a waiting period, and often times these GDLs will impose some driver restrictions for up to a year after receiving a license. There is little doubt that these programs work. There have been countless studies that show a reduction in the death rates of newly licensed teens of anywhere from 11-35 percent when compared to states with no GDL programs. However, all of the states imposing these programs on the teens under 18 waive them for any adult. The only requirement for anyone 18 or over is to pass the tests. So, a more important question might be if a state plans on increasing the driving age to 18, will they also impose the GDL systems on those 18 year olds, or will the 18 year olds continue to be exempt from getting an education. Even if they did impose GDLs to adults, who will perform the required practice with these adults now that the parents are probably out of the picture.

Economic Concerns
Will raising the driving age to 18 be good or bad for the economy? If we look within the economic microcosm of the family, many families rely on older siblings to help relieve the burden of driving kids all over the universe. However, maybe money could be saved if they didn't have to pay for that extra car and insurance. When looking at the greater economy, I read one article where the writer claimed that a reduction in congestion on the roads would be good for the economy. My economically deficient brain can't wrap itself around that concept, but there may be something to it. On the other hand,  imagine the implications of suddenly removing all those drivers from the picture. There would be fewer cars sold, fewer insurance policies purchased, and less spent on gas and maintenance items. This would be especially difficult during the transition of the first few years after the law changed, but it's implications could be long lasting as it would mean that every driver on the road would be losing 2 years of spending on these items over the course of their lifetimes. It would also mean fewer trips to the movies, restaurants, WalMarts, and 7-11s for all these kids. It sounds like lost revenues and lost jobs for many industries to me. But we are talking about saving lives!

I would be against raising the driving age to 18 if it meant creating an entire population of uneducated drivers. This is especially true when I consider the economic implications of such a law change. However, I would not be so opposed to re-visiting the idea if the states would come up with a mandatory education program for new drivers of any age. I just don't see how they could make an effective education model without the participation of the parents/guardians. The only way would be to implement a mandatory training program such as that in some European countries. However, these require 30+ hours of in car training with a professional driving instructor, and usually cost several thousand dollars. Since the invention of the automobile, parents in the United States have been involved in the training of their new teen drivers. Some parents are better at this than others, but I feel that this should continue to remain the most important part of a new driver's education process. If anything, there should be more time spent practicing with parents, not less time. Raising the driving age to 18 would  result in no practice for new drivers. You could potentially be sending your children off to college without any driving experience at all.  As driving instructors, we have clearly seen the devastating  results of no practice. It is practice, practice, practice that determines whether or not a teen will beat the statistics, or be a statistic.

What do you think?









For more information you can visit our website at www.allgooddrivers.com

Safe Driving Tips: Driving In Fog

12/30/12
By Mike Thomas

Driving In Fog

This time of year you may find yourself in a situation were you are driving in dense fog. This can be one of the most dangerous situations you ever encounter while driving. Follow these tips to help you:

For starters, do not turn on your high beam headlights. They will reflect off of the water molecules in the fog and make it more difficult to see than it was before. Use your low beam headlights only.

Next, make sure that you can see the markings indicating that you are in the correct position in your lane. Make regular glances to the white line on the right. Drive slightly closer to it so that you are not risking getting hit by an oncoming car who also can't see.

Be on the lookout for broken down cars or cars that have pulled over or stopped in your lane. The fog scares many drivers. They may stop in your lane, or may not pull all the way over because they can't see.

Never drive at a speed that prevents you from being able to stop within the distance you can see. If you can only see for 30 feet, then you need to be going at a speed that allows you to stop in 30 feet or less.

And finally, if the fog is very bad, consider delaying your trip until the conditions improve.

For more information visit our website at www.allgooddrivers.com