January 2024 – A-1 Driving Schools | 19 Locations in Atlanta, GA

How to Drive Across Train Tracks

Do you know how to drive across train tracks? It’s easy just a few simple steps, and here they are.

  1. Stop, look both ways and listen. Know that trains always have the right of way.
  2. Don’t stop on the tracks. Make sure you have room to get across. Once you enter the crossing, keep moving.
  3. Stop 15 feet away from flashing red lights, lowered gates, a signaling flagman or a stop sign.
  4. Never drive around a lowering gate or ignore signals.
  5. After a train passes, wait for gates to fully rise and for all lights to stop flashing before your cross.
  6. Never assume that there is only one train coming from a single direction.
  7. If your car stalls on a track, quickly get everyone out — even if you don’t see a train coming. Run away from the tracks and your car to avoid being hit by flying debris. Call the number on the blue emergency notification system sign. If the sign is not visible to you, call 911.

If you need any step specified or just have more questions, just contact us at A-1 Driving Schools! We are glad to help!

What do you do if a School Bus has Stopped with Lights and a Stop Sign?

How do you drive if a bus puts out its stop signs? Well, heres how you do it…

  1. You must stop for a school bus whenever the driver signals a stop with the flashing lights and the stop sign.
  2. Treat this as a regular stop sign.
  3. Once the lights have stopped flashing and the stop sign is no longer out, you are free to drive.
  4. The only time you may continue moving is when there is a median separating your lane of traffic from the bus.

If you have anymore questions just ask A-1 Driving Schoolswe are happy to help!

Young Boy Hit Getting off of The Bus

Tiffany Zembower was driving 40-45 mph and did not slow for the stopped bus which resulted in the collision of her 2003 Toyota Tacoma and the little boy. He was identified by a family member as Yonis Rodriguez. The impact from Tiffany Zembower’s car knocked the boy approximately 7 feet. He was left with severe trauma to his head, internal bleeding, and several broken bones. Tiffany was completely unharmed. The bus driver told police she saw the approaching vehicle as the child began to cross the street and tried warning him by flashing her lights and honking the horn, but it was too late. The cops later found that she had 5 mini alcohol bottles in her possession. A judge set Zembower’s bail at $25,000 with release conditions that she does not drive, consume alcohol, and wear a monitoring device. She will be back in court on Feb. 2.

We pray for Yonis’s family as their child heals from this nightmare. We hope that he recovers as swiftly and as smoothly as possible. Driving is so dangerous, especially trying to drive past children’s buses. The stop signs on the side are there for a reason. In Driver’s Education, you learn what to do and what not to do. This situation is exactly what not to do near school buses. If you do not understand what waswrong with this situation contact ourdriver’s education program.

 

 

Woman Drunk Driving with Five Children in the Car

A woman named Allison Wash, who is 38 years old, was found in a three-car crash with five children in her car. The police were called to the scene of the accident and initially could not see inside the vehicle. However, as they got closer, they heard the crying of children coming from the car. The police officers helped Allison and the children out of the car safely. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries and the children are now out of harm’s way. Allison has now been charged with numerous charges, including driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, driving an unregistered car, driving without insurance, and driving with a suspended license. More charges could have been possible.

This is just a small example of how dangerous drinking and driving is. Never take you or a loved ones life for granted and drink while driving. The side affects of drinking should never be tested on the road. To show you just how bad the combo of alcohol and driving are together, here are just a few short-term affects of alcohol.

  1. Dizziness
  2. Lack of judgement
  3. Loss of coordination
  4. Memory loss
  5. Fatigue (tiredness)

All of the above are good reasons to NOT drive. Don’t risk it. If you need to learn more about driving and about how to drive responsibly, don’t be afraid to contact us at A-1 Driving Schools.

What to do at a Stop Sign?

If you don’t know how, this is how you should stop at a stop sign!

  1. Anticipate the stop.
  2. Give yourself adequate time and distance to stop.
  3. Come to a complete stop.
  4. Look at the intersection.
  5. Look both ways for traffic.
  6. Check for pedestrians.
  7. Obey Right of way.
  8. Then finally cross the intersection.

If you have any more questions or concerns about driving don’t be shy and contact us at A-1 Driving Schools!

 

What do you do if you Miss Your Exit?

Here are good options to get yourself back to the correct exit!

  1. Go to the next exit and return to your proper exit.
  2. Exit the freeway at the next exit and come back to the exit you missed.
  3. Continue on the freeway and find an alternate route to your destination.
  4. Pull onto the shoulder and back your car to the exit.
  5. Flag down a police officer for an escort back to your exit.

You should never turn around or back up on the freeway! No matter what you do, do not turn back up the freeway or go back up. This could leave you and anyone in the car with you in serious danger. If you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask us at A-1 Driving Schools.

DUI Charges Dropped for School Bus Driver

Local parents raised concerns after the school bus ended in a crash and DUI arrest. Chris Brazelton, 44 was transporting 10 students from Sparkman Middle School when he collided with another car and left the roadway. At the time of the crash, he had been with the school system for a year without incident. Brazelton stated the weekend beforehand that he was not feeling well. He was stopped by an employee after a concerned resident contacted the transportation department about him driving in an “unusual manner.”Brazelton failed at least one part of the field sobriety test and was taken to the Madison County Jail. Brazelton says that he is diabetic and that at the time of the incident, he was suffering a mini-stroke. On Tuesday, District Judge Ronald Smith dismissed Brazelton’s charges without prejudice “due to an inability to meet its burden of proof.” Although the charges are dropped, Brazelton is still facing a civil suit from the driver who was hit on that day.

What do you think about this incident, do you think that it is fair to have the bus driver’s charges dismissed, and do you think he should be allowed to drive a school bus again?

Death of a 27-year-old Mom Due to a DUI

27-year-old mom, Ashley Bailey, almost two years ago on Lebanon’s downtown square was hit by intoxicated Sandra Strickland. Sandra Strickland, 72, faces several charges, including DUI on first offense and vehicular homicide, in connection with the deadly crash on April 25, 2022. Authorities have said alcohol was involved. Responding officers suspected that Strickland was impaired because she had difficulty remembering the details of what happened, based on a video shown in court. Bailey’s 3-year-old son was in the car at the time. He was then treated at a local hospital and then released. The bodycam video from the crash was shown later shown in court. Ashley’s father-in-law reacts to the bodycam footage, saying “Watching the bodycam was almost like watching a horror movie, but you know how it ends.”

The Strickland family had to bear the heart-wrenching pain of losing a beloved member, one of the worst nightmares for any family. We pray for the family as they deal with such a devastating loss. Losing a family member to drunk driving is something that we do not wish upon anyone. At A-1 Driving Schools, we try to minimize reckless driving, and drunk driving as much as possible. We try to teach our students how to drive safely and cautiously on the road with our driver’s education program. If you ever have any driving questions or concerns, A-1 Driving Schools is here to help.