Here we go again! Another year has come to an end. And, with that, a new year begins, bringing hope and a fresh new start to be the person that you really want to be. Becoming a kinder, gentler person (like Cat Stevens, only without the guitar). This New Years Eve, on my resolution list, among the many habit changes and the monetary growth, I will vow to be a kinder driver in 2017. I will no longer be that impatient jerk that snarls at every inexperienced teen and slow, elderly driver on the roadway. I will leave for work a bit earlier than usual so that I am never running late, which will be good both for my blood pressure and it will be good for my soul. I believe that better time management and better route planning will be the solution. This will inevitably reduce many of my bad driving habits like tailgating and speeding. So, it will also work toward my monetary growth resolution, saving me money on fuel and those hefty traffic citations and defensive driving classes (which take six hours of my time, and time is money).
I ended 2016 with a better GPS app. So I have already gotten off to a good start for 2017. My daughter has been away from home for three years now. I always used her as my direct link to modern technology. Kids always know what the latest, best apps are. So, when I need information, I ask the teen drivers in my Comedy Defensive Driving class. Prior to downloading the WAZE app, I had an outdated GPS app that did not give me optional routes and did not give me the option of “no tolls.” So, whenever I used it, it would try to route me onto any nearby “paying” toll way. WAZE is a free app (owned by Google) and the app alerts you about any issues on the road ahead, such as objects in the road, police alert, accidents, traffic and cars broken down https://www.waze.com
This will help immensely, added to my time management implementation. And commuting in 2017 should be a breeze, not only for me but also for other drivers around me.
Until next week…have a safe and happy New Years Eve.

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Category: driving safety tips
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Author: Daun Thompson

Daun Thompson has spent years acting in both film and theatre which has been paramount in launching her onto the comedy stage (incidentally, without a helmet, resulting in a nasty concussion). Being a funny girl is a full time job. A job that she hopes that one day will come with dental benefits and a 401K. Unlike her work, she is biodegradable, yet flame retardant. And gentle to the touch. Her goal in life??? For strangers to approach her and ask "Didn't you used to be somebody?" In the late 1980's she cut her teeth at the Velveeta Room on 6th Street in Austin, Texas ... the original room with the stripper pole. From there, she moved to northern California and worked with many comedy icons, like Mitch Hedberg, Marc Maron, Colin Quinn, Vic Dunlop, Huck Flyn, Michael Mancini, Doug Ferrari, Shang and Brian Posehn. Daun has been a licensed driver safety instructor and trainer with Comedy Defensive Driving for over 9 years. Her knowledge of driving safety laws keeps her readers informed and engaged with her blog adventures. She still continues to do stand-up comedy, sometimes in a reclining position...just to be different.