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THE DAILY DRIVER Attorneys Defending Your Right to the Road Go Wild Together THE FAMILY FUN OF EXPLORING THE ZOO One of the best parts of the holidays is sharing the same fun activities together with loved ones, year after year. One possible outting this Christmas break is participating in Visit the Zoo Day which falls on Dec. 27.
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DECEMBER 2025
My wife, our three kids, and I all love the zoo. Recently we visited the Parque Zoológico Nacional, the national zoological park in the Dominican Republic. When we visit my wife’s family in Santo Domingo, the zoo is right down the street from my father-in-law’s house. Also known as ZOODOM, it’s one of the largest zoological parks in Latin America. We saw a jaguar there, the only big cat that is native to the Americas. ZOODOM also has one of the largest monkey cages in the world. The monkeys are my favorite thing. I like seeing them swinging from the trees and interacting with humans. My wife’s favorite animal is the giraffe, and our kids … well, their favorite thing at the zoo is probably the snacks we pack and bring along. They just love going to see all the animals.
During trips to see family back East, we made more great memories on a visit to the Bronx Zoo. In the African Plains exhibit, we heard a lion let out a roar so loud that it was almost scary. It was a fantastic roar! The big cats at the zoo are usually mellow and tame, but this guy’s roar was so loud that it scared the crowd. A lion’s roar can reach 114 decibels, as loud as a live rock concert or a chainsaw, and this big cat’s sound had to be right up there. We’ve also visited the San Diego Zoo. From the giant pandas to the rhinos, that zoo is amazing, with hundreds of different animal species spread out across 100 acres of natural habitat. From elephants and gorillas to penguins and giant pandas, you can find just about any animal there. Closer to our home in Bakersfield is a little zoo called CALM, an acronym for California Living Museum, that features wildlife and plants native to our area. James, who is 4, likes seeing the black bears there. During one of our visits when he was about 2, I asked him, “What does the bear say?,” and he let out a huge roar! Our daughter, who is 6, loves the animals too; she is just a little calmer and more composed in expressing her enjoyment. Our youngest is just turning 2, so he’s a little young to care much yet. But for me, each visit to the zoo is a chance to appreciate the creativity of God’s handiwork. The animals are fun, they’re beautiful, they’re fascinating. Each one is unique, and so different from us and from each other. It is awesome to see them all. As Visit the Zoo Day rolls around this year, I hope you can make time with loved ones to enjoy your favorite zoo too! –Paul Harman
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Never Doubt a Canine’s Senses
SET A DIRECTION Many adolescents yearn for independence. That desire can be a powerful incentive for them to learn responsibility. Talk with your teen about the benefits that await them if they learn to finish homework on time, keep promises, and do their assigned chores. If you catch them behaving responsibly (for example, consistently getting ready for school on time with their homework done), praise them and remind them that consistent, responsible behavior will earn them greater independence. Help your child learn the skills needed to manage adult responsibilities by helping them plan ahead and break projects into manageable tasks. And if they slack off on an assignment, don’t intervene with the teacher! Let them suffer the bad grade. ALLOW NATURAL CONSEQUENCES Seeing teens endure the consequences of their missteps can be difficult. But it is one of the most effective ways to teach responsibility. For example, if they forget to
do their laundry, they may be stuck wearing an outfit they dislike.
Raising a responsible teenager can be challenging. As children navigate the social and hormonal riptides of adolescence, parents may wonder if an alien has landed in the house. While teaching children personal responsibility is important from toddlerhood on, the stakes rise sharply when your child enters adolescence. Teens’ choices in friendships, school, and extracurricular activities shape who they become as adults. Parental roles shift, too, from providing direct care to being a coach, monitoring the teens’ activities more from the sidelines. TEACHING TEENS THE ART OF RESPONSIBILITY FROM CHORES TO CHOICES
Point out examples in books, TV, or films of how unattractive irresponsible behavior can be to others. It is easy to dislike Harry Potter’s selfish Muggle relatives, the Dursleys, for example, for shirking their responsibility to care for Harry. Remind your child that taking responsibility for one’s mistakes is a major step toward becoming the kind of person others trust and appreciate. Be a good listener and observer. If you notice your child struggling, explore whether it’s mental health difficulties, feeling overwhelmed, or being bullied. In those cases, you may need to intervene and provide support. Above all, set an example you would like your child to follow. As a famous author once said, don’t worry about whether your child is listening. Worry that they are watching! Your example will speak louder than any words as your child enters adulthood.
Big Rigs, Bigger Bills
The Rising Cost of Becoming a Trucker
Job seekers hoping for a career as commercial truck drivers are paying higher costs to enter the profession.
certification from an FMCSA-approved provider. The cost of the ELDT training ranges from about $1,500–$5,000.
The rising cost of training and licensing is slowing the flow of new applicants for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). New federal training requirements for entry-level drivers are one factor. Another hurdle is CDL training programs costing $3,000–$10,000 or more. The rising costs come amid a tightening of U.S. immigration policy and enforcement, which is expected to remove 5%–12% of CDL holders from the U.S. workforce over the next 2–3 years, according to J.B. Hunt Transport Services, a transportation and logistics company. The company says the crackdown threatens to increase costs for shippers. Safety regulators and independent truckers, however, say the higher standards and training requirements are needed to maintain safety on the highway. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has urged Congress to impose even tighter regulations to prevent poorly prepared drivers from entering the field. Effective in 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) imposed new training standards requiring drivers seeking CDLs to acquire an Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
Basic driver training can be pricy too. While some community colleges offer CDL training programs for about $1,000–$5,000, private truck driving schools cost $3,000–$10,000, depending on the length and content of the courses. Other drivers enter the field through company-run programs, which promote low-cost or free training but require participants to work for them for reduced wages after graduating. About 130 driver training programs operate in California, taking up to 10 weeks to complete. A FreightWaves ranking of the top four programs found costs range from $2,000–$12,333, depending on the length of the program, the skills covered, the job-placement help offered, and whether books, tools, uniforms, and supplies are provided. Programs range from 48 hours to 10 weeks in length. In California, an applicant must also pay a $50–$85 fee to apply for a CDL and undergo a medical exam that usually costs about $75–$200. Add it all up, and anyone aspiring to a career as a professional trucker may face entry costs of $3,000–$15,000. At current pay rates, paying back that initial investment can take some time.
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Your Referrals Make a Difference! Thanks to your 54 referrals in November, we were able to donate $580 to help fight human trafficking and lead medical missions. INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION To learn more about International Justice Mission and their mission to protect half a billion vulnerable people from exploitation, please go to IJM.org . MEDICAL MISSIONS OUTREACH To learn more about showing God’s love by providing quality medical treatment to some of the poorest people in the world, visit the Medical Missions Outreach home page at Medical-Outreach.com .
Stay Back,
Stay Safe
Professional truck drivers seldom expect a single citation to threaten their livelihood. A first conviction for a violation classified as “a serious offense,” however, can do exactly that. If you are found guilty of following another vehicle too closely, a second conviction of any other serious offense within three years can trigger a 60-day suspension of your CDL. A third can sideline you for 120 days, and a fourth results in a suspension of your CDL for an entire year. A conviction also can block your ability to get a new job, because points are added to your pre-employment screening record. A truck driver isn’t always the one at fault, of course, when they’re pulled over for following another vehicle too closely. Perhaps a driver in front of you does a brake check or cuts in front of you. Tourist traffic on some popular California routes can create such dangerous situations that truck drivers are unfairly ticketed. Whether that citation is fair or not, mounting a strong defense is essential to protecting your livelihood. The law specifically requires drivers to maintain a “reasonable and prudent” following distance, after taking into account the speed of traffic and the condition of the roadway. But how do you measure that? While a passenger car travelling at 65 mph needs about the length of one football field to stop, an 80,000-pound truck going that fast needs almost twice as far. One common rule of thumb is to track your following distance by counting down three seconds, depending on highway conditions. That entails choosing a marker ahead, waiting for the vehicle you are following to pass it, and counting down three seconds. If you pass the marker before you’re done counting, you are following too closely! Applying the “reasonable and prudent” rule requires judgment and experience. A driver can be following another vehicle at a reasonable distance when an erratic driver cuts in front of them, creating the impression that the truck driver was at fault. Keeping a dashcam handy to record other drivers’ dangerous behavior can be helpful. If you are cited for following too closely, the experienced traffic ticket lawyers at our firm will build a credible defense that a judge will understand. If you need help with a citation for an alleged traffic violation, call us today! We will go to the mat to defend your rights and your livelihood. THE COSTLY CONSEQUENCES OF FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY
“I can do all things through
Christ Jesus who strengthens me.” PHILIPPIANS 4:13
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, APC HARMAN CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC DEFENSE ATTORNEYS BIGGER
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Rediscovering Nature’s Beauty, One Zoo Trip at a Time....................................... PAGE 1
Practical Strategies for Raising Responsible Teens............................................... PAGE 2
Wannabe Drivers Face Rising Training and Licensing Costs............................................. PAGE 2
Tailgating Can Cost You Your Livelihood........ PAGE 3
Pancho Becomes Lifesaver in Wilderness Rescue............................................... PAGE 4
Have a ticket in California? Give us a call, and we’ll help you out! Regardless of the location, we can point you in the right direction free of charge!
Trailblazing Chihuahua Led Searchers to Lost Owner TINY PUP, BIG HERO
When 85-year-old Barbara Crosby went missing in the California wilderness, no one expected her travel companion, her loyal dog Pancho, would become her savior. Spotted by residents in the area, the adventurous pup led rescuers straight to his owner, navigating a steep embankment that could have spelled disaster. The pair went missing on an early Saturday morning when Barbara, who has dementia, wandered away from her senior living home with the Chihuahua mix. Search and rescue teams immediately began to look for the at-risk adult but saw no sign of her throughout the day. As they were about to pack up for the night, multiple residents reported that they had spotted Pancho in the area. Thanks to details from these glimpses of the would-be hero, rescue crews could pinpoint Pancho’s travel path, which led down a 70- foot steep embankment off the road. After hiking to the bottom, they found him hiding under some brush and followed him to where Barbara lay sleeping nearby.
hospital. Though she was no longer in harm’s way, the crews couldn’t stop to celebrate too long. Pancho
pulled a hound-ini act and ran off before rescuers could lift him out.
Residents spotted the runaway dog the next day, just a short distance away. Dehydrated and exhausted from the ordeal, Pancho was taken to a veterinarian for treatment and is back to his old self. The county sheriff’s office recognized Pancho’s life-saving act in a special thank-you online, stating that his “loyalty and presence near Barbara’s location helped lead us to her, truly the unsung hero of this rescue.” They also thanked the search and rescue crews and the community members who shared their Pancho sightings. This Chihuahua’s keen instincts guided rescuers through tricky terrain, proving heroes come in all sizes. Thankfully, this duo’s adventure ended in tail wags and plenty of treats.
Due to the rugged terrain, the team had to utilize a litter and rope system to lift Barbara to safety and promptly take her to a nearby
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