How fast is too fast?

How fast is too fast? Well, that depends on who’s patrolling the streets. CBS 5 Investigative Reporter Morgan Loew crunched the numbers and found some police agencies have a higher threshold than others. So your chances of getting a ticket depend on where you are in the valley and by how much you are speeding. City Very likely to get … Read More

Arizona House bill changes driving school option for ticketed drivers

Arizona Defensive Driving News Saying drivers issued  traffic violations are being coerced to give up their due-process rights, the Republican-controlled House voted to let them take their case to court and yet still escape the ticket even if they’re found guilty. Arizona House Bill 2005, approved on a 31-29 party-line vote Monday Feb 25,2019, would repeal existing laws that give … Read More

2019 St. Patrick’s Day Driving Dangers

Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays on our nation’s roads. During the 2013-2017 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period (6 p.m. March 16 to 5:59 a.m. March 18), 234 lives were lost due to drunk-driving crashes. In 2017, drunk driving killed more than 10,000 people in our country, and every single one of those deaths was preventable. Do your … Read More

Rule # 15 of Defensive Driving

15. Be a Safe Passer If you decide to pass another car, visually clear the road ahead and behind you first. On one-lane roads, make sure you have enough clear space ahead to pass without interfering with oncoming vehicles. Only pass when it is legal to do so. Do not tailgate prior to passing — maintain your following distance so … Read More

Rule # 14 of Defensive Driving

14. Slow Down in Rain The first thing to do when the rain (or snow up north) starts to fall is slow down. The standard rule of thumb is to slow down by a third in the rain, and by at least half in the snow. Slow more if ice may be present. Make sure your tires are in great … Read More

Rule # 13 of Defensive Driving

13. Beware of Intersections Accidents happen at intersections. Most of these crashes happen when people are making left turns. Hence we ended up with the hated roundabouts.   To reduce your risk, slow down as you approach a green light and make sure to look left, then right, then left again. The first danger to you is the traffic approaching from … Read More

Rule # 12 of Defensive Driving

12. Avoid Distractions Currently, as of 2019 there is no state level law against texting and driving for Arizona drivers! When we assume our driving “duties,” one of the most important is that we be responsible for our actions and the results of those actions. In almost every case, a driver involved in a collision had an opportunity to avoid … Read More

Rule # 11 of Defensive Driving

11. Know Your Blind Spots No one thinks about the blind spots in the front of the vehicle. It depends on the vehicle, but a car typically has many blind areas. The front the sides near the rear of the vehicle, meaning you cannot see anything in these areas by looking in your correctly-adjusted mirrors. Other vehicles may be blind … Read More

Rule # 10 of Defensive Driving

10. Always Signal Your Intentions Be careful not to send the wrong message. For example, if you are approaching an intersection, and you intend to turn right immediately after the intersection into a service station, be careful not to signal too soon. Oncoming traffic may think you intend to turn at the intersection rather than beyond it, and they may … Read More

Rule # 9 of Defensive Driving

9. Create Space Protect your safety by proactively creating space around your vehicle, never allowing yourself to get “boxed in.” Adequate space creates time and helps you avoid collisions. Maintain at least two seconds of following distance. Adjust your position in traffic as necessary to avoid driving in others’ blind areas. Don’t allow yourself to be tailgated—change lanes or adjust … Read More