Stay Alert – Stay Alive!

Traffic fatalities continue to climb! My informational and inspirational safe driving presentations will help make you more aware of the dangers that often lead to collisions, whether Driving, riding, or walking – helping to reduce your “collision risk factor.”   

See why traffic collisions are the number one 9-1-1 emergency call for first responders. This new awareness will help you avoid (or stop) bad driving habits, making you a better – more alert driver and pedestrian! Be advised traffic fatalities have gone up dramatically from 2020 through 2022.

Corporate Speaker for Companies – Program Planners:  My presentation will help reinforce your company’s safe driving policies – especially for employees driving company vehicles, such as no texting or other cell phone or I-pad use while driving. I’ll also inform you of some critical issues driving “company” vehicles.

I take the place of two speakers, providing a professional perspective from my work with emergency responders and as a victim, sharing my personal experiences with some of the major issues I cover.

Military Safety Stand-downs – Safety Officers: I offer hard-hitting talks for your safety stand-downs, especially before and during the holidays. Emphasizing the dangers and impact of driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs, driving distracted (texting), and the risks of riding motorcycles. My speaker’s fee is waived for our Military heroes within San Diego County. Outside the County – I may require travel and boarding expenses as needed.  

Colleges/High Schools: I can cover specific topics by requesting a presentation for your group or class. My talks can range from 20, 30, or 60 minutes to 3 hours or more for your company conference or military safety stand-down. I continually update my discussions with the latest stats, pictures, videos, and latest news stories to help drive home the message. High Schools – my talk is ideal before proms, for the “Every 15 Minutes” program, and before graduations. When speaking to colleges, my talk is perfect for fraternities, sororities, health science courses, etc.

*I share my experience as a former spokesperson for police and fire and as a veteran air traffic reporter for local television and radio. In addition, I continue to work with crash scene investigators, the Medical Examiner’s Office, and local and National Safety organizations for my research. I’ve been offering safe driving presentations for 39 years; my information is constantly updated with the latest traffic trends and incidents.

The quote below is exactly why I love what I do!

Some of the topics covered:

• Distracted Driving – texting, cellphones, and more (our #1 problem)
• Dangers of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs
• Motorcycle safety
• Stress & Road Rage – how to curb the rage – Researcher with NETS
• Aggressive Driving – examples
• Red Light Runners & Red-Light Photo Enforcement – video examples
• Dangers of Rolling through STOP Signs – examples
• Dynamics of a crash – what are the significant factors that cause injury & death in crashes
• Importance of obeying traffic laws made for our safety
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Insurance Protection
• Importance of wearing seat belts
• Types of crashes – rollover, side-impact, rear-ender, etc.
• Car Seat Safety – Remember your precious cargo
• Dangers of Speed
• Driving company vehicles
• Know who you are riding with
• Pedestrian Safety
• Being a good safety role model for your family – especially your future teen drivers – (great for parenting groups)

Personal Impact Stories:

• Losing my father to a DUI driver in June of 1992
• My daughter was injured in a collision by a DUI driver in February 2005
• I was the victim of a STOP sign runner in August of 2003 – a crash that should have paralyzed me.
• I’ve been hit three times by drivers on their cellphones – so I am well aware of the dangers

Note: I speak on behalf of ALL those killed and injured in crashes daily!

For references, please see the comment section of this website to see audience feedback from previous talks—additional references offered by request.

Most of my talks are in the San Diego County area of Southern California, but I’m also available to speak outside the city & state by request! Virtual presentations are also available.

Email your speaker request to [email protected], or call me at (619) 219-9030.

Talks outside of San Diego have taken me to; Los Angeles, Long Beach, Corona, El Centro, Riverside, Miami, Florida, Portland, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wyoming, Lyndhurst, New Jersey, and Fallon Naval Base in Reno, Nevada, to name a few.

Please visit the “CONTACT” section on the top bar of this website’s opening page for my speaker’s fee, but keep in mind my fees are negotiable. Therefore, I can efficiently work within your budget.

Stay safe!
Monica Zech

I am honored to be San Diego’s first female airborne traffic reporter & San Diego’s first Television traffic reporter.

Do you know the legal consequences in providing alcoholic beverages to minors?  Please read the article below….

http://www.countynewscenter.com/news/5-penalties-you-face-giving-alcohol-minors 

An Allstate Insurance survey discussed “When should teens begin driving, should that age be increased?”  See what the survey

had to say:

http://blog.allstate.com/rethinking-the-minimum-driving-age/

A mother shares tragic her story of losing her daughter.  On December 30th, 2011 her daughter was texting and driving when she lost control of her vehicle, crashed and died.

http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Ripley-County-Teen-Killed-in-Crash-While-Texting/d6yUXcKISUGlctUdmhmCEw.cspx

Parents of teen who died texting and driving: ‘Kids think they’re invincible’…Bright, outgoing college teen Taylor Sauer proved in the last minutes of her life she knew right from wrong — but still committed a fatal mistake.  Click on the following link to see their story:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46627015/vp/46626165#46626165

*In my safe driving lectures, when addressing the subject of aggressive driving and road rage, I dedicate this topic in memory of someone special, “Mr. Durham Sprague.”

Mr. Sprague was killed by someone driving aggressively on September 1, 2000; he’s seated in the center in the above picture, and his wife is seated on the right.  He was a retired Carlsbad Firefighter who raised four children, three firefighter sons, a wonderful daughter, an excellent journalist, and one of my best friends – Jeannie!  (She’s seated on the far left in the picture above with her son Sean.)

Mr. Sprague was killed on northbound 805 near Murray Ridge in San Diego as he attempted to merge into lanes.  The aggressive-reckless driver was speeding and weaving through traffic when he struck Mr. Sprague’s vehicle, causing him to roll off the freeway.  The driver who struck and killed Mr. Sprague had a history of reckless driving.

Sadly, aggressive driving kills and injures motorists every day on our roadways. Unfortunately, this type of driving often adds to the “road rage” factor.   My safe driving lectures address “aggressive driving” with valuable tips on how to curb “road rage” – whether it’s your rage or that of another driver.

I talk about dealing with stress and road rage, either your anger or that of other drivers.  My lectures will open your eyes to the dangers and how you can reduce these dangers on our roadways.  The first thing to remember is – “We have NO control over other drives, but we do have control of our own actions.”  In the 1990’s I was honored to assist with research on road rage with San Diego State University, NETS-Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

I provide my audience with a “professional and personal” look at what it takes to increase your survival on our roadways! Also, how to avoid making the same mistakes others have made that caused their collision. My goal is to make you more aware of the problems surrounding us and reduce the “risk factors” of having a collision.

These talks have been in high demand for Military Safety Stand-downs, Company Safety Briefings and Conferences, driver education/training courses, Colleges, parenting classes, and more.  I do utilize some stats in my talks, but I put faces with those stats.  Most are local faces.   But, keep in mind – I don’t “sugar coat” the issues since my goal is to save lives!  (Of course, when speaking to young teens and children, I am cautious about content.)

Tips for Dealing With Road Rage from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV):

Aggressive driving can cause many serious problems on the roadway. All drivers must be aware of both aggressive driving and the behavior known as “road rage,” and what to do when they occur.

There are two important things to be aware of regarding aggressive drivers:

1. Recognizing and avoiding the behaviors in yourself.
2. Avoiding other drivers engaging in these behaviors.

Ways to avoid becoming an aggressive driver include:

• Allow plenty of time to reach your destination.
• Do not “cut off” other drivers.
• Do not drive slowly in the left (fast) lane.
• Do not tailgate.
• Do not gesture to other drivers.
• Use your horn for emergencies only.
• Let aggressive drivers pass you.

The following are examples of common behaviors that can lead to aggressive driving and how to avoid them:

• Lane Blocking–Don’t block the passing lane. Stay out of the far left lane if other traffic wants to drive faster, and yield to the right for any vehicle that wants to pass.
• Tailgating–Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. If you are being tailgated, leave more space between you and the vehicle in front of you.
• Signal Lights–Always use your signals when changing lanes, and avoid changing lanes too close to the other vehicles. After you have changed lanes, turn your signal off.
• Gestures–If you must gesture to another driver, do so in a way that will not be interpreted as hostile or obscene.
• Horn–Avoid using your horn to say “hello” to a pedestrian. The driver in front of you might think you are honking at them.
• Failure to Turn–Unless otherwise posted, right turns are allowed after a complete stop at a red light. Choosing to wait for the green light may frustrate the drivers behind you, but is not illegal.
• Parking–Do not take more than one parking space. Do not park in the disabled parking space if you do not have a disabled parking placard or plates.
• Headlights–If you use your high-beam headlights, dim your lights for oncoming traffic and when approaching a vehicle from behind; do not retaliate to oncoming high beams with your own.
• Merging–When traffic permits, make room to allow vehicles to merge into your lane.

If you would like me to speak to your group on this topic and other safe driving tips, please email your request to [email protected] – or call me direct at (619) 219-9030.

Stay Alert – Stay Alive! 

Yes – “distracted driving” is a nation-wide problem!  It injures and kills motorists and pedestrians every day!!! 

I talk about distracted driving in my driving safety lectures, but I’ve also been the victim of distracted drivers (3) times in my driving career.  First, I was hit by someone who flew into a parking where I was, while he was looking down at paperwork and talking on a cell phone – I was able to hit the gas and clear my drivers’ side to avoid certain death.  Second,  I was on a freeway – when a driver was busy looking to his right talking to his passenger and failed to notice stopped traffic ahead, he rear-ended traffic while jumping in front of me.  The third, and hopefully the last,  a motorist ran a STOP sign by “two” car lengths coming off a freeway to a surface street, she was in a hurry and busy talking to her young daughter, she looked to her right and “failed” to look to her left as I approached from her left side with the “right of way” – jumping into my path…”that” crash almost paralyzed me.  I’ve got the scar from my $65-thousand neck surgery as lasting proof… so “yes” I know this problem all too well.  (By the way my alertness and seat-belt saved me in all three incidents.)  But sadly, I also respond to these incidents almost daily as a spokesperson for a police and fire department!

Please take a look at the following two websites, the second is Oprah’s “NO PHONE ZONE” campaign – please take the pledge, and have your family, friends, school, workplace, and civic groups “take the pledge!”  It is a matter of Life and Death!

www.distraction.gov  

Take the pledge:

http://www.oprah.com/questionaire/ipledge.html?id=4

Thank you and stay safe!

Monica Zech

Safe Driving Educator

[email protected]