Southeastern Driver Training Center https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/ Southeastern Driver Training School offers drivers education classes to teens and adults in the Wilmington, New Hanover and Pender County NC areas. Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:53:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 “I Received A Traffic Ticket. Now What?” – Three Ways to Handle a Traffic Citation https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/i-received-a-traffic-ticket-now-what-three-ways-to-handle-a-traffic-citation/ Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:43:58 +0000 https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/?p=6388 As a former police officer I certainly gave out my share of traffic citations.  Some of the most commonly issued traffic citations are for offenses such as speeding, red light violations, expired registration and seatbelt violations.  To this day I still get asked by friends and family members how they should handle the traffic citation […]

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As a former police officer I certainly gave out my share of traffic citations.  Some of the most commonly issued traffic citations are for offenses such as speeding, red light violations, expired registration and seatbelt violations.  To this day I still get asked by friends and family members how they should handle the traffic citation they recently received.  Depending on the severity of the traffic citation there are a couple of ways they can be handled.  Here are a couple options:

  1. Hire an attorney: When in doubt, hire an attorney.  Criminal Defense attorneys work within our court system every day and are experts on how to navigate their local legal system.  They will typically get you the most favorable outcome possible for your traffic citation.  Yes, you might pay a little more by hiring an attorney, but they can certainly save you money in the long run by helping you avoid points against your license and insurance.  They can also save you a tremendous amount of time.  In many states your attorney can appear in court for you to handle a traffic ticket.  This saves you the time and hassle of having to drive to the courthouse and then wait for your case to be called.  Your attorney may have you complete a defensive driving course to show the court that you are taking the issue seriously and deserve a reduction with your traffic citation.

The National Crash Prevention Program offers a four-hour defensive driving course in both an in-person format and online that’s accepted in most states.  You can learn more about their program at www.nationalcpp.org.

2. Represent yourself by appearing in court: For minor traffic offenses you can appear in court on your designated court date to represent yourself.  Often, if you are charged with a registration violation or equipment violation the traffic offense will be dismissed if you simply prove that you had the problem corrected.  If you’re charged with a moving violation such as speeding or red light violation the state’s attorney (sometimes called Prosecutors or Assistant District Attorneys) may allow you to take a defensive driving course.  In return for taking a defensive driving course the state may agree to reduce or even dismiss your ticket.  This option can often depend on the severity of the traffic offense and your driving history.  If you are charged with reckless operation or have had multiple traffic citations in the past, they may not allow you to attend a defensive driving course.  If you appear in court to represent yourself and are unsure of the agreement being offered you can usually ask for a continuance to allow yourself time to contact an attorney.

3. Pay the citation: For many minor traffic offenses they will allow you to mail in the fine and court cost associated with your traffic citation.  I never recommend anyone paying off their traffic citation.  If you pay off a moving violation you are essentially pleading guilty/responsible and as a result you may receive points against your license and insurance.  These points can result in a substantial increase in your insurance which may cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars over the next several years.  It might save you time and prevent you from having to hire an attorney but in the long run, it will cost you more.

These are the top three ways to handle a traffic citation.  The worst thing you can do is ignore your traffic citation and fail to take any type of action.  If you fail to appear in court, or fail to hire an attorney to represent you, your driver’s license will most likely be suspended and the court system will issue an order for your arrest.  This creates a much bigger problem to deal with!

My hope is that you will never have to use this information because you’re driving safely!

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NCPP Online Defensive Driving Course https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/ncpp-online-defensive-driving-course/ Mon, 24 Apr 2023 15:45:26 +0000 https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/?p=5817 The National Crash Prevention Program (NCPP) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to create safer roads through inspiration and education. NCPP offers Defensive Driving Courses and Keynote Presentations to schools and other organizations. NCPP has just released a four-hour, online defensive driving course.  This course was created by Joe Fitzgerald, a former police officer […]

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The National Crash Prevention Program (NCPP) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to create safer roads through inspiration and education. NCPP offers Defensive Driving Courses and Keynote Presentations to schools and other organizations.

NCPP has just released a four-hour, online defensive driving course.  This course was created by Joe Fitzgerald, a former police officer and traffic crash reconstructionist. The course is designed to not only create safer drivers but to improve decision making skills. This course is the master class of defensive driving.

NCPP’s online defensive driving course is based upon the book, Fifteen Ways to Become a More Defensive Driver. Topics addressed in this course include speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, situational awareness and much more!  The course is comprised of several short videos.  Upon completing each video segment students are required to answer a few questions correctly before moving on to the next segment. Once the course is completed each student will be issued a certificate of completion that can be printed out or emailed.  

This online defensive driving course is perfect for anyone that’s wants to become a more defensive driver!  NCPP’s online defensive driving course can be accessed at www.nationalcpp.org/online/.

Joe Fitzgerald is a former police officer and Traffic Crash Reconstructionist. He is the author of Fifteen Ways to Become a More Defensive Driver. Joe is the owner of Southeastern Driver Training Center and President of the National Crash Prevention Program.

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A Step by Step Guide of the Licensing Process in NC https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/a-step-by-step-guide-of-the-licensing-process-in-nc/ Thu, 30 Apr 2020 12:50:41 +0000 https://sedrive.wpengine.com/?p=1524 I’m often asked about the process for testing and obtaining a driver’s license in North Carolina. I thought this post could be a resource for those with questions about North Carolina’s graduated licensing program.  We will break it down into a step by step process and include a few tips as well. Step 1:  Complete […]

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Joe Fitzgerald is a former Traffic Crash Reconstructionist and owner of Southeastern Driver Training Center. Joe has been qualified as an expert witness in the fields of Traffic Crash Reconstruction, Drug & Alcohol Impaired Driving, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and The Streets and Highways of Wilmington, NC.

I’m often asked about the process for testing and obtaining a driver’s license in North Carolina. I thought this post could be a resource for those with questions about North Carolina’s graduated licensing program.  We will break it down into a step by step process and include a few tips as well.

Step 1:  Complete Driver Education.  Individuals under the age of 18 are required to complete an approved Driver Education course comprised of 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of behind the wheel instruction.  Individuals 18 and older are not required to complete a Driver Education course although I would highly recommend these individuals to at least obtain some type of formal instruction from a trained professional.  You can find Adult Online Driver Education Courses by clicking here.

Step 2:  Test for your Learner’s Permit.  In order to test for your Learner’s Permit you must:

  • Be at least 15 years old
  • If you’re under the age of 18, completed an approved Driver Education Course
  • Have the following documents:  birth certificate, social security card, driver education certificate (if under 18), Driving Eligibility Certificate (DEC) from school.  For a complete list of acceptable documents consult the NC Driver Handbook.
  • You may also want to bring in additional documents to obtain your REAL ID which was mandated to increase security standards when entering certain federal facilities.  For more on this consult the NC Driver Handbook or visit NCREALID.gov.

When testing for your permit you will have to complete a sign test, vision test and a knowledge exam.  (SDTC offers an online course designed to help individuals prepare for their knowledge exam.  Call for more information)

Step 3:  Test for your Level Two Limited Provisional License.  In order to test for this you must have held your Learner’s Permit for at least one full year (if under 18) and have completed a driving log indicating a minimum of 60 hours of driving with at least 10 of those hours being at night.  (tip:  The DMV will give you a paper copy of this log but you can also use apps like Road Ready as long as you print out the log when visiting the DMV)

When testing for your Level Two Limited Provisional License you will be required to complete a road test with a DMV representative.  For more information on this road test  and what skills are observed consult the NC Driver Handbook.

Once you receive this license you are allowed to drive without supervision between the hours of 5am – 9pm unless certain exemptions exist (consult NC Driver Handbook for those exemptions).  You are only allowed to have one passenger under the age of 21 when driving or multiple, immediate family members (siblings). These stipulations do not apply if a supervising driver is in the car.  You must also complete a driving log indicating 12 driving hours with six of those being at night.

You must maintain this license for at least six months before applying for your Level Three Full Provisional License.

Step 4:  Obtain your Full Provisional License.  To obtain this license you must return to the DMV and provide them with your driving log.

Once obtaining this license the passenger and hour restrictions do not apply.  Individuals under the age of 18 may not use their cell phone or any technology associated with their cell phone while driving.

That’s a brief summary of what to expect when going through the licensing process in North Carolina.  For more information click here or obtain a North Carolina Handbook from your local DMV office.  Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Stay safe!

 

 

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A Break Down of The Smith System https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/a-break-down-of-the-smith-system/ Mon, 27 Apr 2020 13:01:12 +0000 https://sedrive.wpengine.com/?p=1518 Back in 1952 a man by the name of Harold Smith came up with five rules to help people become safer drivers.   Amazingly, nearly 70 years later these same rules still remain relevant to driving today.  In this post we will briefly break down each of these five rules. Rule #1:  Aim High in Steering […]

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Joe Fitzgerald is the owner of Southeastern Driver Training Center and a former Traffic Crash Reconstructionist. Joe has testified as an expert witness in the fields of Traffic Crash Reconstruction, Drug & Alcohol Impaired Driving, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and the Streets & Highways of Wilmington, NC.

Back in 1952 a man by the name of Harold Smith came up with five rules to help people become safer drivers.   Amazingly, nearly 70 years later these same rules still remain relevant to driving today.  In this post we will briefly break down each of these five rules.

Rule #1:  Aim High in Steering

Aim high in steering means drivers should be looking ahead 10 to15 seconds when traveling down the roadway.  Essentially, where will my car be in the next 10 to 15 seconds.  By doing this, drivers can identify potential hazards earlier and have more time to take the appropriate action.  The earlier you can identify a hazard, the more likely you are to avoid it.

Rule #2:  Get the Big Picture

Getting the big picture means you are utilizing all of the available information to determine and understand what the potential hazards are or could be when driving.  For example, you’re driving down the road and notice yellow, pentagon shaped signs and roadway markings indicating there is a school ahead.  What are the potential hazards you may encounter?  Kids crossing the road, crossing-guards, school buses, parents picking up and dropping off their kids at school are all potential hazards.  Another example of getting the big picture might be staying alert for children when driving through a neighborhood and seeing toys in the front yard of a house along the side of the road.

Rule #3:  Keep Your Eyes Moving

Defensive drivers always keep their eyes moving and scan the roadway ahead.  When we stare straight ahead we have a tendency to “zone out” while we are driving.  By scanning the road ahead we are constantly introducing new information into our brain which will help us stay alert.  Scanning left and right as you cross by side streets and intersections to hopefully identify potential hazards is critical in order to be a defensive driver.

Rule #4:  Leave Yourself an Out

Leaving yourself an out essentially means that you are always trying to leave yourself an escape route in the event an emergency or unexpected event arises.  There are two ways you can try to do this.  First, with your following distance.  Make sure to leave yourself ample following distance between yourself and the car ahead of you. (see previous post “What’s A Good Following Distance for more information on this) This distance will help you to make smoother, more gradual stops and it might also afford you the space you need to take evasive action in the event of an emergency.  Second, when you stop behind another vehicle, make sure you can see their rear tires touching the pavement.  If you can see their rear tires touching the pavement this allows you enough room to turn out from behind this car without having to reverse first.  So if the car ahead breaks down in the roadway or if you look up and see an inattentive driver approaching rapidly from behind, this will hopefully allow you enough time and space to steer out from behind the car ahead and avoid the hazard.  (see picture attached to this post)

Rule #5:  Make Sure They See You

What’s the most common cause of crashes involving motorcycles?  Failure to yield because a motorist didn’t see the motorcycle approaching.  Whether you’re driving a car or motorcycle you should try to make yourself as visible as possible to others.  This can be done by utilizing your headlights, turn signals and horn.  Even the color of your car can makes you more or less visible.  If you’re driving a silver or gray colored car it might blend in with the color of the roadway and make your car less visible.  Anything we can do to make ourselves more visible reduces the likelihood that we become involved in a crash.

There you go.  Those are the five rules of the Smith System.  If we apply and utilize these rules each time we get behind the wheel we can increase the odds that we will make it to our destination without incident.

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“What’s the Worst Crash You’ve Investigated?” https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/whats-the-worst-crash-youve-investigated/ Tue, 21 Apr 2020 11:11:26 +0000 https://sedrive.wpengine.com/?p=1488 Sometimes I get asked by clients, “What’s the worst crash you’ve investigated?”.  That’s a tough question to answer because I’ve been to so many over the years.  It’s always extremely difficult when someone dies in a crash and you have to explain to a parent what happened.  Those crashes are probably the most difficult but […]

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Joe Fitzgerald is the owner of Southeastern Driver Training Center and a former Traffic Crash Reconstructionist. Joe has testified as an expert witness in Traffic Crash Reconstruction, Drug & Alcohol Impaired Driving, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and The Streets and Highways of Wilmington, NC. In 2015 Joe was certified by the NC DMV as a Driver Education Instructor.

Sometimes I get asked by clients, “What’s the worst crash you’ve investigated?”.  That’s a tough question to answer because I’ve been to so many over the years.  It’s always extremely difficult when someone dies in a crash and you have to explain to a parent what happened.  Those crashes are probably the most difficult but when I think of the word “worst” I immediately begin thinking back to the crashes resulting in the most damage to the vehicles.  There are a few that come to mind.  I’ve been to crashes where people were crushed behind the steering wheel or thrown from a vehicle and died from striking a metal pole.

However, the crash that I would consider the “worst” I’ve investigated isn’t a fatal crash.  It resulted in serious injury but fortunately none of the occupants of the vehicles died.

It was around 5:45am on a weekend morning when my cell phone rang.  I woke up and noticed it was the front desk of the police department calling.  I knew immediately something bad must’ve happened for them to be calling at that hour.  I answered and that’s when the front desk receptionist told me I was needed to respond to the scene of a major crash.

I quickly got up, threw on my uniform and started to the scene.  When I arrived I was surprised to see a crowd of emergency workers standing around what appeared to be a white Honda.  You see usually, if I was called out from my house, by the time I would arrive on scene the individuals were already at the hospital or if they were still on scene that was usually because they were deceased.

When I stepped out of my patrol car I immediately heard a young lady screaming in the crashed Honda.  I walked over to check the severity of her injuries and peaked over the shoulder of the firemen working to free her from the mangled car.  When I caught a glimpse of the young lady, I immediately noticed that her left femur had snapped and was now protruding through her skin.  I felt certain this young lady was going to die.  The firemen and paramedics worked for nearly an hour to get her free from the wreckage.  They eventually freed her and rushed her to the hospital.  She had suffered a long list of injuries but they saved her life.

The other driver, who was impaired by alcohol at the time of the crash, escaped without physical injury but later would be sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Why is this the worst crash I’ve investigated when I’ve been to many more that resulted in someone’s death?  Because I could hear the pain and suffering this 22 year old young lady was enduring and knew that her life and bright future had been put on hold.  Not to mention, this crash didn’t happen at 2am in the morning.  It happened when many people are heading to work.  It could’ve been one of my family members or yours.

Our roads can be very dangerous and unforgiving.  Make good decisions and drive defensively out there.  Our lives depend on it.

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All You Wanted To Know About Mr. Joe https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/about-joe-fitzgerald/ Tue, 14 Apr 2020 15:45:43 +0000 https://sedrive.wpengine.com/?p=1480 Here’s a quick post to help my clients learn a little more about me and my background.  Here ya go. Born in NC Currently 39 years-old Education Graduated from North Davidson High School in 1997 Graduated from UNC-Wilmington with Bachelor’s Degree’s in Criminal Justice with a minor in Spanish in 2001 Career Worked with the […]

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Joe Fitzgerald is the owner of Southeastern Driver Training Center and a Traffic Safety Speaker. Joe is a former Traffic Crash Reconstructionist and has been recognized as an expert witness in the fields of Traffic Crash Reconstruction, Drug & Alcohol Impaired Driving and the Streets & Highways of Wilmington, NC.
Here’s a quick post to help my clients learn a little more about me and my background.  Here ya go.

  • Born in NC
  • Currently 39 years-old

Education

  • Graduated from North Davidson High School in 1997
  • Graduated from UNC-Wilmington with Bachelor’s Degree’s in Criminal Justice with a minor in Spanish in 2001

Career

  • Worked with the Wilmington Police Dept for 11 years.
    • Worked in patrol
    • Traffic
    • Helicopter Unit
    • SWAT Team
  • Recognized as an expert witness in the following fields:
    • Traffic Crash Reconstruction
    • Drug & Alcohol Impaired Driving
    • Standardized Field Sobriety Testing
    • The Streets & Highways of Wilmington, NC
  • Worked with the StreetSafe Lifesaving Driving Program as Executive Director
  • Currently own/operate Southeastern Driver Training Center

Teaching Philosphy

  • When you’re having fun, you’re learning. I have a short attention span myself so I try to make my classes and presentations interactive and impactful at the same time.

Accomplishments

  • Graduated top of class from Police Academy
  • First ever Drug Recognition Expert (DRE)at Wilmington Police Dept
  • Former Law Enforcement Instructor, DRE Instructor, Standardized Field Sobriety Instructor
  • Attended and completed Sniper school at Storm Mountain Training Facility in West Virginia
  • 2007 Outstanding Service Award presented by NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program and New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office

Family

  • Married to my wife Lisa for 18 years (currently)
  • Father of twin boys that are currently 17 years old
  • We have a Yorkie named Brody

Hobbies

  • Children’s and Youth Pastor at Central Church in Wilmington
  • Surfing
  • Hunting
  • Fishing
  • Reading

There you go.  That pretty much sums me up!  Thanks for reading!

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Workplace Driving Safety https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/workplace-driving-safety/ Sat, 11 Apr 2020 12:16:50 +0000 https://sedrive.wpengine.com/?p=1477 Over the course of my career as a police officer I investigated several hundred motor vehicle crashes ranging from minor “fender benders” to tragic fatal crashes.  Many of the crashes I investigated involved employees driving company vehicles traveling to or from work or completing company business.  I’ve even experienced it personally while being rear ended […]

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About: Joe Fitzgerald is the owner of Southeastern Driver Training Center and a Traffic Safety Speaker. As a former Traffic Crash Reconstructionist, Joe has been qualified as an expert witness in the following fields: Traffic Crash Reconstruction, Drug & Alcohol Impaired Driving, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and The Streets and Highways of Wilmington, NC.

Over the course of my career as a police officer I investigated several hundred motor vehicle crashes ranging from minor “fender benders” to tragic fatal crashes.  Many of the crashes I investigated involved employees driving company vehicles traveling to or from work or completing company business.  I’ve even experienced it personally while being rear ended in a company vehicle one afternoon by an impaired driver.  Fortunately, there were no injuries from this collision but many don’t turn out this way.

In fact, when some drivers become involved in a collision with a company vehicle, they begin to see $$.  People have a natural tendency to think and assume that they just hit pay dirt because they were struck by a company vehicle and now they can file a civil suit for big dollars.  According to The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (http://trafficsafety.org/road-safety-resources/public-resources/cost-of-motor-vehicle-crashes-to-employers-2015/), in 2013 motor vehicle crash injuries cost employers a staggering 47.4 billion dollars.  Some of the most common causes of these crashes are speeding, inattention, and impaired driving.  That’s why in my keynote presentation The 3 Most Fatal Crash Causes I highlight the consequences of these behaviors using examples of real life crashes I’ve investigated and stories from my own personal life.

Just think for a moment, how much would it change our world if everyone avoided speeding, distractions and impaired driving?  Not only would it have a huge financial impact for families and businesses but it would save lives.  Do the math.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there were over 37,000 crash fatalities in 2016. (https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812580) Over 60% of these crashes were caused by the three previously mentioned behaviors.  If everyone avoided these behaviors that would save the lives of nearly 22,000 people.  It would literally change the world if everyone did what they were supposed to do.  Unfortunately, that’s much easier said than done.

What can employers do to help reduce their risk and exposure to these crashes.  Here are a few tips:

  • Have policies and guidelines in place:  These policies and guidelines set the standard for the employees and make the expectations known.  Written policies work a lot like Family Driving Agreements do.  Family Driving Agreements set the ground rules and expectations for families with new drivers. They have even been shown to make new drivers drive more responsibly because the expectations are known.  The same is true with businesses.  Set the expectations, what’s acceptable and what’s not.  Expectations such as “No mobile phone use while driving”, “Do not exceed the speed limit” and “All occupants must wear seatbelts”.  Employers must set the expectations for employees operating company vehicles and also have consequences in place when these expectations are not met.
  • Consistently train employees: Training can be as informal as a shift meeting or as formal as attending a conference with presentations on safe driving.  The key is to consistently reinforce the message and the importance of safe driving habits.  When I served on the SWAT Team we were always doing reloading and malfunction drills.  Why?   Because we needed to develop muscle memory and form habits.  The same is true with driving.  We should consistently remind employees that driving is one of the most dangerous tasks we do each day and we can’t afford to let down our guard.
  • Supervisors set the example: Supervisors should be looked up to.  Either because of their leadership or because of their status in the company.  It’s imperative that they avoid risky behaviors when driving because it only takes one employee to notice that their supervisor isn’t practicing what’s being preached and then the entire initiative is diluted and less effective.  Supervisors should be leaders and set the example in every aspect of their job.
  • Reward good behavior: Companies should consider some type of reward system for their employees that exhibit safe driving behaviors.  If safe driving is such a big deal and is so important (which it is) shouldn’t companies reflect that with some type of safe driving bonus?  A yearly $100 bonus would not only boost morale but at the end of the day save the company a lot of money if it avoids a crash involving a company vehicle.

The bottom line is this, driving can be dangerous whether we are doing it in a personal vehicle or a company vehicle.  It is certainly much more dangerous when we engage in certain behaviors.  A responsible business that cares about their community, employees and their company needs to have a plan in place to encourage their employees to adopt safe driving habits.

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The Water Bucket Challenge https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/the-water-bucket-challenge/ Fri, 10 Apr 2020 11:07:45 +0000 https://sedrive.wpengine.com/?p=1475 The post The Water Bucket Challenge appeared first on Southeastern Driver Training Center.

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Joe Fitzgerald is the owner of Southeastern Driver Training Center and a Traffic Safety Speaker. As a former Traffic Crash Reconstructionist, Joe has been qualified as an expert witness in the following fields: Traffic Crash Reconstruction, Drug & Alcohol Impaired Driving, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and The Streets and Highways of Wilmington, NC.

When I speak at conferences and events I usually bring along a golf ball and a bucket with me.  These are the items I need to complete the water bucket challenge.  Depending on the environment and layout I may use the entire audience or 20 volunteers to create two teams.  Each team is on either side of the bucket facing the other team in a straight line.  I’m at one end of the line with a quarter and the bucket filled with water and the golf ball is at the other end of the line.

During this exercise no one is allowed to talk.  I will flip the quarter, when I catch the quarter the only people allowed to see it are the two participants standing closest to me at the end of their line.  If the quarter lands heads up then these participants squeeze the hand of the person next to them in line.  Once the next participants feel their hand squeezed, they squeeze the hand of the person next to them and the squeezes continue down the line.  When the participants at the end of the line feel their hand squeezed, they reach into the bucket and compete to see who retrieves the golf ball first.  (This typically results in some water splashing out of the bucket)  The team that recovers the golf ball is awarded one point.

What if the quarter lands tails up?  If the quarter lands tails up, the participants do nothing.  They don’t squeeze, they just stand there until I flip the coin again.  However, often the participants get into such a rush they squeeze even when it lands tails up.  Once they squeeze, the squeezes continue until the last person proudly reaches in and retrieves the golf ball from the bucket of water.  I say proudly until they realize it landed tails up and they weren’t supposed to squeeze.  If they retrieve the ball when it lands tails up the other team gets the point.  Remember, the participants can’t talk.  So, the person who squeezes first can’t say “Stop!”, they just have to let it happen.  First team to whatever point number I designate wins.

What does this exercise have to do with driving and decisions?  Usually people say “reflexes”.  Maybe a little, but the main point is that decisions work just like this exercise does.  Once you make a decision, we have to deal with the consequences.  If we make a bad decision behind the wheel it can often end with a tragic result that we can’t go back and change no matter how badly we would like to.  That’s important to remember the next time you’re tempted to text while driving or get behind the wheel after a few drinks.

That’s the reason and purpose behind the Water Bucket Challenge.

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“You Can’t Complete The Mission If You Don’t Make It To It” https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/you-cant-complete-the-mission-if-you-dont-make-it-to-it/ Thu, 09 Apr 2020 11:45:57 +0000 https://sedrive.wpengine.com/?p=1472 Recently I’ve had the opportunity to speak with several hundred US Marines at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC as a part of their “Rethink the Drink” initiative.  The goal of this initiative is to inspire the Marines to make wiser decisions concerning drug and alcohol use.  I expand on this goal a little and draw […]

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Joe Fitzgerald is a professional speaker and owner of Southeastern Driver Training Center. Joe is a former Traffic Crash Reconstructionist and has testified as an expert witness in the fields of Traffic Crash Reconstruction, Drug & Alcohol Impaired Driving, Field Sobriety Testing and the Streets & Highways of Wilmington, NC. In 2007 Joe was awarded the Outstanding Service Award by the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program and New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office.
Recently I’ve had the opportunity to speak with several hundred US Marines at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC as a part of their “Rethink the Drink” initiative.  The goal of this initiative is to inspire the Marines to make wiser decisions concerning drug and alcohol use.  I expand on this goal a little and draw from my experience as a former law enforcement officer and Traffic Crash Reconstructionist and speak on the importance of making good decisions behind the wheel. Sadly, traffic crashes are the number one “mishap” killer of US Marines according to a 2018 article in the Marine Corps Times.  https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/12/06/the-no-1-killer-of-mishap-killer-of-marines-this-year-car-and-motorcycle-accidents/.

We can’t always avoid becoming involved in a crash when someone else makes a bad decision. However, we can avoid the crashes that would be caused by the decisions we make and those are the ones we focus on. These are the crashes that result from speeding, impaired driving and distracted driving.  This doesn’t only apply to the men and women of our military but it applies to all drivers throughout our country.  Each year nearly 60% of the fatal crashes on our roads are attributed to these three behaviors.  It’s especially disheartening when one of these crashes takes the life of a service member.  These young men and women make a choice to serve and protect our country but have their life cut short due to a bad decision on someone’s part.

In these presentations I hope to encourage these young Marines to think about the big picture and not just live in the moment.  Trying to remind them of what their purpose is.  Because some of us tend to be very mission and objective driven.  Meaning, when we are assigned a task, we try to do everything in our power to accomplish and complete this task.  However, we can’t complete a task if we lose our life in a car crash.  The members of our military can’t complete their mission if they don’t make it to it.  If we lose a service member in a crash, then we lose someone who is helping to make our country a little safer.

While we can’t always control the actions of others, we can control our own actions.  We can control our speed.  We can control whether or not we pick up our phones while driving.  We can control the decision to get behind the wheel after we’ve been drinking.  These men and women that serve our country are special and the more we can save on our roads the better off our country is.

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SDTC Online Driver Training Programs https://sedrivertrainingcenter.com/sdtc-online-driver-training-programs/ Fri, 03 Apr 2020 15:54:52 +0000 https://sedrive.wpengine.com/?p=1448 SDTC is now offering online driver training.  Online courses include:  30 Hour Online Driver Education, Two Hour Adult Online Driver Education, Online DMV Exam Prep Course, and Online Defensive Driver Training.  Here is a brief description of each course: 30 Hour Online Driver Education:  The NC DMV has authorized SDTC to offer online Driver Education […]

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Joe Fitzgerald is the owner/operator of Southeastern Driver Training Center. Joe is a former Traffic Crash Reconstructionist and has been qualified as an expert witness in the following fields: Traffic Crash Reconstruction, The Streets and Highways of Wilmington, NC, Drug and Alcohol Impaired Driving and Standardized Field Sobriety Training.
SDTC is now offering online driver training.  Online courses include:  30 Hour Online Driver Education, Two Hour Adult Online Driver Education, Online DMV Exam Prep Course, and Online Defensive Driver Training.  Here is a brief description of each course:

  1. 30 Hour Online Driver Education:  The NC DMV has authorized SDTC to offer online Driver Education during the Coronavirus Pandemic.  Currently individuals 14.5 years of age and older can complete the required classroom instruction of Driver Education in an online capacity.  This course offers the same 30 hour classroom instruction utilizing a virtual classroom.  This course is self-paced and all students have immediate access to a certified driving instructor.
  2. Two Hour Adult Online Driver Education: This two hour online program is perfect for adults wanting to learn the basics of driving and the rules of the road.  This course also helps prepare individuals for the DMV knowledge exam.  This course is self-paced and takes approximately two hours to complete.
  3. Online DMV Exam Prep Course:  This online program is designed to help prepare students for the DMV knowledge exam.  This course was created based upon information collected by individuals who had previously taken the knowledge exam.  This course takes approximately one hour to complete.
  4. Online Defensive Driver Training:  This online program highlights 10 rules of defensive driving.  This one hour program is perfect for new drivers, experienced drivers and corporate driver training.

Driving is the most dangerous task most of us do each day.  That’s why it’s important to take advantage of every possible learning opportunity.  For more information on any of these programs contact us at 910-899-9101.

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