Driver slams into Baltimore cop car while playing Pokemon Go

A Pokemon Go enthusiast slammed into a Baltimore police car while playing the game on his phone early Monday morning, according to authorities.

In body-camera video released by the Baltimore Police Department, several officers are seen standing near a police car as a Toyota Rav 4 slams into the cruiser and continues driving.

In the video, an officer runs after the vehicle, which stops near the end of the block, and the driver gets out of his car.

The officer asks if everyone is OK, and the driver, whose face is blurred in the clip, shows the police officers his cellphone.

“That’s what I get for playing this dumb--- game,” the man says to the officers.

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#PokemonGO is not all fun and games. Here is a video of a distracted driver who struck one of our cars. #PlaySafe

5:59 PM - 19 Jul 2016

 
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Pokemon Go has become a summer phenomenon, a game played on smartphones in which characters are projected on the screen amid the player's actual surroundings. The goal of the game is to capture the animated figures. Unlike past app-based games, Pokemon Go is being credited with coaxing kids and adults to exercise by getting them outside to play. But it also has landed players in hot water.

During a Tuesday press conference, Baltimore Police spokesman T.J. Smith said the police car run-in wasn't the first Pokemon Go incident in Baltimore this week.

He said multiple people had their phones stolen while playing the game in two separate incidents earlier this week.

"Way too many people have their heads buried in their phones trying to catch a Pokemon, and the criminals are catching them,” Smith said.

He noted that no one was injured when the Pokemon Go player crashed into the police car, but he said people should be aware that playing the game while driving is dangerous.

"This is no different than texting and driving, changing a CD, putting on makeup or eating a sandwich," he said. "You have to pay attention while driving."

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Contributing: Kimiya Manoochehri

CCHS High School Driver Education Essay Contest 2016

A focused and responsible driver is, above all, a safe driver. However, it is especially difficult to be focused when you are learning how to drive with your mother in the passenger seat. Each time I have practiced driving with my mother, her hands latch onto the dashboard with clenched fingers and white knuckles. Her voice becomes several octaves higher than it usually sounds, and her anxiety makes it near impossible to focus on my own thoughts, let alone operating a vehicle. Any teenager who has began a driving career with his or her parents in the neighboring seat knows that mothers and fathers, while wise teachers for other life lessons, do not always make the best driving instructors.

Among the many benefits of teenage driver education is the opportunity for student drivers to practice their driving skills with trained professionals. The anxiety that often exists when learning to drive with a parent can significantly affect a teenage driver's focus on the road. Being able to sit next to a professional driving instructor with an extensive knowledge of driving laws creates a secure and relaxed environment for young adults to improve their driving skills and learn about road safety and laws. Both student drivers and parents will feel more comfortable knowing that a driving expert can look out for the student while teaching them to drive in a relaxed manner. 

Classroom instruction is also a vital aspect of teenage driver education. Although the last thing many students want to hear is that they will need to spend additional time learning in a classroom, the benefits of learning driving skills in a classroom setting with follow them from their teenage driver career and into adulthood. Apart from the small amount laws I have learned while practicing behind the wheel, I feel that there are so many rules and driving basics that I have yet to learn. Teenage drivers may not be able to learn as many laws and general rules on practice alone. With classroom instruction, they can not only grasp key driving and traffic fundamentals, but can also learn about the dangers of driving under the influence and how to make responsible decisions when driving.

An increased push for teenagers to receive driver education is unfortunately due to fatal circumstances. Stories like those of Georgia teenager Joshua Brown, who passed away in 2003 after a fatal car accident, have had a deep impact on myself and Georgia teens. The parents of Joshua Brown lobbied the state legislature to pass what is now known as "Joshua's Law," which solidifies the requirements for teenagers to be able to obtain their licenses and mandates that they have more practice behind the wheel. These tragic events help all of us realize that teenage driver education should not just be recommended, but necessary.

With teenage driver education, student drivers can learn skills that will shape their driving habits as adults, gain knowledge about driving under the influence, and have a better understanding of the laws in place to prevent accidents and fatalities. Not only will students of driver education courses feel more confident and safe on the road, parents can feel at ease knowing that their children are well prepared and ready to get their licenses. Furthermore, if I complete a teenager driver education course, I will be pleased to see that my mother's knuckles will not be white with nervousness the next time she is in the passenger seat.

Rachel Jovert 

Color-Blindeness corrective glasses

The Importance of Driver’s Education for Teens ~ of Henry McKlin, 2nd place Nathan's Driving School Scholarship challenge from Chamblee HS

Henry McKlin-===

February, 2015

The Importance of Driver’s Education for Teens

Many teenagers suffer serious injury or death from simply not understanding basic driver’s education and/or failing to be a defensive driver. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an average of 6 teenagers die daily in the United States from injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes. This number would, without a doubt, be lower if they understood how to stay attentive and alert to what is happening on the roads at all times and eliminate distractions. Driver’s Education also improves students preparation for emergencies that can happen on the road. It is extremely important for teens that are ready to drive to fully and thoroughly understand the rules of the road and know how to be prepared for whatever happens on the road.

Distractions come in many different forms to teenage drivers, which makes these distractions a leading cause for serious injury or death amongst them. Out of all the potential distractions that teenage drivers can face if not prepared, social distractions are among the worst. The worst of these distractions is texting and driving, because it requires focusing eyes on the screen, thinking about what you are typing, and using at least one of your hands to type. All of these distractions make for an illegal and potentially dangerous incident. Another major social distraction is having friends in the car with you while driving. A rigorous driver’s education will allow students to understand the laws around social distractions and understand that texting and driving is illegal and the limits on how many non-familial passengers one may have in their car.

Driver’s Education also shows all of the extreme risks of being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol while driving. According to the CDC, in 25% of fatal motor vehicle injuries amongst teens they had been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. There are stories after stories that are being told to teenage drivers that help further influence the importance to abstain from drugs and alcohol. Although it may seem like elementary knowledge, drivers education provides facts as to why wearing seat belts while driving can be life-saving. For example, in 71% of fatal car injuries in the United States, the driver was not wearing a seat belt. These stories and facts that are being provided to teens will highlight why they must stay away from distractions while on the road.

Rigorous driver’s education programs teach students what to do in the case of an emergency while on the road. These life lessons are valuable to a student driver as they start to drive because they will ride confidently, knowing that they are prepared for any emergency that could happen.

I often ride with my brother, who is a licensed 17 year old, and he reminds me of a rule that he learned in driver’s education as that same rule plays into effect on the road. This is proof that a punctilious driver’s education program is quite relevant and important for teen drivers. All in all, teenage driver education is an important, relevant, and powerful influence on the safety of teenage drivers and the safety of everyone else on the road.

Defensive Driving in Georgia

(source: https://www.defensivedriving.org/states/georgia )

Georgia drivers can take advantage of defensive driving programs for safety, points reduction, license reinstatement, and insurance premium reduction. These courses teach drivers about safe, responsible driving, and can offer useful benefits for those who are able to complete them.

 

Defensive Driving Courses in Georgia

Drivers in Georgia who have been charged with a traffic offense may be ordered by the court to complete a defensive driving course as part of your sentence. In some cases, Georgia courts will allow you to take a defensive driving program to dismiss your traffic ticket.

Additionally, once every five years, defensive driving school courses can be taken to deduct points from your Georgia driving record to deduct seven points from your driving record. Drivers who receive 15 points within 24 months will have their license suspended, so this course may help you retain your driver's license if you have accumulated too many points. If you're not able to stop the suspension, a driver improvement course will be required to reinstate your suspended driver's license.

Often, Georgia drivers find that by taking a defensive driving course to dismiss a traffic ticket or reduce points is beneficial, allowing them to avoid a conviction or license suspension. Additionally, the course may prevent your insurance rates from going up following a traffic violation conviction.

Georgia Defensive Driving Course Eligibility

Driver improvement courses are able to dismiss your ticket only under special circumstances. Often, a judge will decide whether you will be allowed to dismiss your ticket under certain circumstances, namely, by taking a defensive driving course. You may need to enlist the help of an attorney and work on a special agreement with the court to take defensive driving for traffic ticket dismissal.

Often, instead of ticket dismissal, courts will require traffic offenders to complete a defensive driving course. You may also need to take a defensive driving course to reinstate your license after a suspension. But perhaps most often, Georgia drivers complete defensive driving to remove seven points from their driving record every five years, which can prevent a license suspension if you've accumulated too many points.

Before you enroll in a driver improvement course in Georgia, you should verify with the court and/or the Department of Driver Services that taking the course will satisfy your court order or requirements for reinstatement or points reduction. If you enroll before confirming that you are eligible, you may not receive benefits for completing the course.

Georgia License Reinstatement and Points Reduction with Defensive Driving

Georgina driver improvement courses can be taken for points reduction, driver's license reinstatement, or by court order. To enroll in a driver improvement course, you should contact the court, or the Department of Driver Services to request permission to take part in the program. Once you're approved, you'll need to choose a traffic school that is accepted by the state, complete your course, and send your certificate of completion to the court or Department of Driver Services.

When taking your course, be sure to arrive on time and participate. All schools have strict attendance policies, and you will be expected to arrive on time or be denied entry. If you are absent or leave early, you may be required to start the course again. Students who lose their certificate of completion should contact the traffic school for a replacement. If you do not complete the course, or your fail to turn in the certificate of completion, you will not be granted your license reinstatement or points reduction, and may be in violation of your court order.

Defensive Driving Courses Available in Georgia

Georgia's defensive driving courses offer life saving lessons in Georgia traffic laws, driving skills, and defensive driving. Each course is six hours long and may be offered in multiple sessions. The course is designed to make you a safer more responsible driver with curriculum typically including:

• safe driving attitudes
• smart driving behaviors
• Georgia traffic laws and regulations
• impaired driving including alcohol or drugs
• defensive driving techniques
• collision avoidance

 

Defensive Driving for Car Insurance Discounts in Georgia

Defensive driving is often used for points reduction in Georgia, but many drivers who have no points on their record may be interested in completing a defensive driving course for personal knowledge as well as an insurance discount. Many insurance companies offer a safe driver discount to drivers who have completed a voluntary defensive driving course. Most discounts are available to mature or teenage drivers, but all drivers may be eligible.

Georgia Defensive Driving Insurance Discounts

Most insurance companies in Georgia offer safe drivers a discount on insurance premiums for up to 10% off for three years. After three years, you may renew to continue your discount.

Georgia Defensive Driving Insurance Discount Eligibility

Georgia drivers of all ages can complete a driver improvement course to receive an insurance discount. However, policies may vary depending on your insurance company, and some companies only offer discounts to elderly drivers or new teenage drivers, so it's important to verify your eligibility before enrolling in a course to receive an insurance discount. Most discounts only last for three years, after which drivers can enroll in and complete a new course to continue the safe driving discount. Contact your insurance company to find out about your eligibility and the amount of your discount available.

Insurance Defensive Driving Courses Available in Georgia

Georgia's insurance discount defensive driving courses are the same courses offered to drivers for points reduction. That means you'll be enrolled in the same six hour course as those with traffic citations and learn the same important safety information. Your course curriculum is likely to include instruction in:

• defensive driving techniques
• Georgia traffic laws and violations
• safe driving behaviors
• driver attitude
• the consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

 

Voted The Best Defensive Driving Schools in Atlanta, GA

(source: https://www.defensivedriving.org/atlanta )

Atlanta has some of the worst traffic in the nation. The city is ranked seventh among other large cities in America for their traffic and commute. Atlanta congestion causes drivers in the city to spend an average of 51 extra hours behind the wheel each year.

The city is ranked second for worst drivers in another survey. They have a troubling ranking for safety and poor driving skills. This, in a sprawling city where driving is absolutely essential to getting around.

While Atlanta drivers have a tough time getting around safely, there is something you can do to make your daily commute safer: enroll in a defensive driving course. With a defensive driving course from one of Atlanta's leading driving schools, you'll learn how to get where you're going and back with safe, defensive driving skills. The course will teach you how to avoid collisions, drive responsibly, and react calmly to any emergency on the road.

Atlanta drivers can complete a number of different driving courses, including DUI risk reduction, defensive driving, Alive at 25, and behind the wheel driving education. Drivers who have gotten a ticket can often use defensive driving courses to have that ticket dismissed, or to earn a discount on auto insurance premiums. And ultimately, each course offered by Atlanta's defensive driving schools will improve your safe driving skills -- and just might save your life one day.

The Best Defensive Driving School in Atlanta, GA (Poll Closed)

Just Drive Right Driving School 1.28%  

Peachtree DUI & Defensive Driving Clinic 0%  

Splindit Driving School 0.43%  

ALFA Driving School 0%  

A-1 Driving School 0.43%  

North Buckhead Driving and DUI School 0%  

AJA DUI School 0%  

1 Act DUI & Defensive Driving School 42.55%  

Nathan's Driving School 55.31%  

A-Abacus DUI & Defensive Driving School 0%  

Create Your Own Poll 

Atlanta traffic tips

The SMITH system - a safety reminder from your friendly neighbor Nathan!

Make the roads a safe place by employing the same methods we use with our drivers. The Smith System states that following these five rules can dramatically reduce the risk of major accidents on highways and roads.
1.   Aim High 
The first rule for this method is “Aim high in steering”. Staying alert of the dangers and traffic ahead not only avoids rear-end collisions, but it also alerts other drivers behind your vehicle to slow down. The driver should steer and focus their attention high, so as to view the road as whole and not just a few feet ahead.
2.   The Big Picture
“Be aware of your surroundings at all times” may seem obvious to say, but distracted drivers are just as dangerous as intoxicated ones. Erratic and angry drivers take up a large portion of the traffic we see daily, so avoid major accidents by noticing how other drivers behave on the road. Having the whole picture means that you are doing your part to keep your vehicle as safe as possible while moving 1000ft a second. There are a variety of hazards between your own vehicle and other drivers, and a keen awareness of these dangers will reduce these risks.
3.   Keep Your Eyes MovingThe third standard of the Smith System asks drivers to remain alert. Energy drinks can only do so much before they cause the body to crash, and any repetitive motion sends us into a trance. Consistent eye movement prevents your body from entering the trance state, keeping you alert to every driving condition ahead of you.

4.   Leave Yourself an OutThe fourth principle of the Smith System states to leave yourself a way out. This means ensure that other drivers do not box you in while selecting their lanes. Do not follow other vehicles too closely, and always anticipate what choices other drivers make.
5.   Make Sure They See You 
The worst thing a driver can do is assume. Assume other drivers can see them, assume other drivers are not dangerous, or even assume that they will just get to their destination safely. The final rule for the Smith System is “Make Sure You Are Seen”. This rule prevents accidents by removing assumptions made behind the wheel. As a driver, make sure that other drivers can see you and anticipate your move. If you feel you are coming into another driver’s blind spot, use the horn to get their attention.