Have a Safe Memorial Day!!

Just in time for the Memorial Day weekend comes an interesting series of opinions published in the New York Times from various experts in the transportation world. There are some very interesting and valid viewpoints that we thought we'd like to share with our friends.

Do We Tolerate Too Many Traffic Deaths?

Have a safe Memorial Day everyone! Remember, a student of Alliance Defensive Driving School, past or present, always drives responsibly!



For more information about Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For information about our Teen Program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For information about our Online Drivers Ed. program, and our prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

Extreme Multitasking!

This cool article came to our attention very recently. Minn. Mom Gives Birth While Driving to Hospital

 With a mother like Amanda McBride as a role model, we wonder if little Joseph Dominick Phillips will turn out to be a natural born driver!

iPhone--The Driver Nanny

Today we came across this article on the internet from MacWorld about a new free iPhone app that monitors teens driving habits, taking notes on speed and manner of driving and records everything for the parent to review later on. On the more advanced version it will even sound an alarm if the driver goes over the speed limit and will send an email to the parent giving details of the drivers performance. On the surface it sounds great. But we wonder just how effective this would be in a real situation.

On the iTunes Safe Driver app page, there is a warning saying that accuracy may vary depending on iPhone version, area coverage, signal strength and how secure the device is. Reading and experiencing the many troubles with the AT&T signal, we wonder how effective this app really would be?

 This may be the one and only time that teens would not want a cell phone anywhere near them! Oh, the irony!



For information about Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For more information about our Teen program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For more information about our Online Drivers Ed. program and prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

Remember: CLICK IT OR TICKET!

Starting today and continuing to June 6, over 150 law enforcement agencies, starting with the CHP, will be on the look out for unbelted drivers and passengers in California in an effort to remind people to buckle up-- even if just driving down the block. Studies have shown that most car accidents happen close to home, where the territory is most familiar.

This year the fines for not buckling up are steeper: $142 for adult violators; for children under 16 years old, it's $445 for the first violation.

Since the law was implemented in 2005, the number of people wearing seat belts have gone up from 92.5% in 2005 to 95.3% in 2009, which translates to 1 million more people using seat belts.

Despite the figures, there are still an awful lot of people who for a variety of reasons don't heed the warning about what could happen by not wearing a seat belt until it is too late.

Please friends, don't let it be one of you! Buckle up!



For information about Alliance Defensive Driving School, please visit: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For information about our Teen Program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For information about our Drivers Ed. program and prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

Teens: Thinking About Driving Before You're Licensed? Our Advice...

DON'T!

Last week we received a call from a young man asking about our Drivers Ed and Behind the Wheel Training programs. We gave him the information and prices and talked a bit about the benefits of our programs, when toward the end of the conversation he admitted that he had been pulled over by a sheriff's deputy and given a ticket for being a minor and driving without a license. He asked if this would impact on his ability to obtain a license. The answer is a big bold: YES!

It is considered a very serious infraction by the DMV as well as law enforcement and could delay your license for one year! Also it could have bad consequences for your parents or guardians, not just you. 

While it may seem useless all these hoops that you have to jump through, i.e., driver's ed., the six hours of professional behind the wheel instruction, 50 hours of practice--ten of them at night, leading to the provisional license with it's own set of restrictions, etc. They are all designed to make you a better, safer driver. 


If you're feeling impatient, and thinking about driving without a license, thinking if you're very careful, you won't get caught, please consider this: Is it worth risking having a pre-existing mark on your record and having your license denied for a year? And also delaying the freedom that you crave? We don't think so, and we don't think you do either!

So, remember: to drive unlicensed is to delay a license!




For information on Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For information on our teen program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For information about our online drivers ed program and our prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

Another Heartbreaking Story

Another story in the San Diego North County Times about the untimely death of a teen driver, Michael Hoffman, just 18 years old. He was just 10 days shy of graduating from High School.

Firefighter Dad Helped After Son's Crash

How sad that we will never know if he indeed followed in his father and grandfather's footsteps to become a firefighter. We will never know how many lives he would have touched by his dedication to helping others in their time of need.

Be careful out there. Drive carefully. Cars can be replaced. People can't.

Alliance Defensive Driving School extends our deepest condolences to the Hoffman family for the loss of their son, Michael.



For more information about Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For information about our teen program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For information about our online drivers ed. program and our prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

Midas Presents: Teen Car Care Clinic at San Diego Midas Shop

Most teens think about one thing only when they finally get that coveted California drivers license: freedom! However, with that freedom comes responsibility--lest your new found freedom comes to an abrupt end with a car breakdown.

Midas has partnered with Lauren Fix, a nationally recognized automotive expert, aka "The Car Coach", to educate teens on safe driving and car care with interactive clinics.

On Monday, May 24, 2010, the Midas Shop on 10445 Friars Road in San Diego will host a Teen Car Care Clinic with Lauren Fix, where she will conduct a hands on demonstration of vehicle safety checks, and "parents and teens will explore their vehicles for safe equipment and instruments".

If you have the time, it sounds like something worthwhile to attend! You never know what little tidbit of useful info you will pick up, then end up using it later on!

When: Monday, May 24, 2010

Time: 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

Location:

Midas Shop
10445 Friars Road
San Diego, CA92120
Phone: 619-285-1101
Web: www.midassandiegoca.com

Google Map: 10445 Friars Road, San Diego, CA 92120

Have fun and stay safe!!


For more information about Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For information about our teen program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For information about our online drivers ed and prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

Teacher with Multiple DUI's Allowed To Teach?

Here's an article in SFGate.com about an Orange County fifth grade teacher who, over 25 years, has had  a spotless record in the classroom--but not so spotless behind the wheel, where she has had three serious drunk driving convictions.

Apparently one of Shirley Broney's arguments, through her lawyer and substance abuse counselor is that she has learned her lesson and will not repeat her mistakes again. Don't two subsequent convictions for the same offense qualify that she has NOT indeed "learned" her lesson--and most likely won't anytime soon?

What do you think? Should a teacher with a known DUI history be allowed to continue teaching?


Drinking, Driving and Teaching Don't Mix

Happy Mothers Day!

We want to wish all of our Mothers out there a very Happy and Safe Mother's Day. Teens, if you're wondering what to get for your Mother on this very special day, Team Alliance has the perfect gift: Safe Driving. Yep! That's it. Safe and conscientious driving.

What better gift to give your mother than the knowledge that her offspring are doing all they can to avoid accidents, and are being a role model for other drivers who may be tempted to act foolishly.

Have fun, and drive carefully! Make your Mother's proud by giving her the ultimate gift: Yourself--Alive!

Natural Driving Talent? Seems Like It To Us!

Meet Jake, The Driver Guy's latest pupil. After only 3 hours, Jake was able to parallel park without any difficulty. Of course he was being taught by the best parallel parker in North County, so of course he would succeed!

Sounds like Jake will be an accomplished driver in no time at all! Good job, Jake!!


For more information about Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For more information about our Teen program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For more information about our online Drivers Ed program, and our prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

More Evidence of the Dangers of Distracted Driving

The National Safety Council has released a white paper on the dangers of cell phone use, hand held or hands free, that further illustrates the problems of driving while distracted. More and more, it seems as though, no matter what action you take in talking on cell phone while driving, even employing a hands free device, seems to be a very bad idea all around. Increasing evidence shows that the brain is incapable of true multitasking in critical areas, regardless of how skillful we think we are.

National Safety Council: White Paper on Distracted Driving

Obviously, the best rule of thumb when deciding whether to engage in chatting or texting while driving is: DON'T. Turn off the phone, and just drive. Otherwise, that message or phone call could very well be your last--no matter how good a driver you think you are!


For more information on Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For more information about our Teen program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For more information about our online Drivers Ed. program, and our prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

One Good Man

It's good to see that the needless to say, extremely dangerous--not to mention illegal-- practice of holding a cell phone / texting is getting more and more media attention these days. This latest article tells the story of one dedicated Los Angeles police officer, Kamaron Sardar, who's hot on the trail of yakkers and texters, doing all he can to get the message across to even the densest individual that such a practice could very well end up being their last act.

Distracted Drivers, He's Just Got the Ticket For You

A followup story of the many varied and wild excuses he's come across, of which some are mentioned, would be entertaining to read, we're sure!

Keep up the great work, Officer Sardar! and on behalf of Alliance Defensive Driving School: Thank You Kindly!


For more information on Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For more information on our Teen program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For more information about our online Drivers Ed program and our prices, please go to:http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

Present (and Future?) Success!

Congratulations to Monica! She took her behind the wheel DMV driving test recently and passed with flying colors, making only three mistakes! Way to go, Monica!!

Monica very kindly wrote a review of Alliance Defensive Driving School on MagicYellow.com Alliance Defensive Driving School Page. See what she and others have written about us!

We wish Monica and her growing family much success on the road and life ahead!


For more information about Alliance Defensive Driving School, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/index.html

For more information about our Adult Program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/adults.html

For information about our teen program, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/teens.html

For information about our online drivers ed program and our prices, please go to: http://www.thedriverguy.com/online_driversed.html

And of course, don't forget to go visit our sister blogs for more great tips: http://wwwthedriveguy.blogspot.com/ and http://wwwaddsinfohiwaycom.blogspot.com/