1. Super Bowl Sunday. Followed closely by St. Patrick's Day and the Fourth of July.

2. Not in Washington State. According to Officer Dawson, that old "wearing shoes" requirement is an urban myth. In light of some of the platform shoe styles that occasionally cycle through, I'm a firm believer that sometimes a bare foot is more effective!

3. Nope, another urban myth. In fact, according to the National Traffic Safety Institute, the odds of being killed in a traffic accident while driving under the influence increase by 22 percent.

4. Nope. The definition of entrapment is "when the crime originates in the mind of the officer". It is perfectly legal for an officer to allow a citizen to commit an illegal act. Note the term "permit". Whose life is it, anyway?

5. True. The majority of patrons in our local jails are there for various levels of traffic violations. One of the most common? Driving while license suspended.

6. Quotas? Sure there are! They are called "indicators of performance". How else would you determine, at least in part, if a traffic officer was performing his duties? Actually, some jurisdictions have actual minimum average numbers to which the officers are required to adhere. When put this way, it sounds reasonable.

7. No. If cars are blocking traffic, there are no serious injuries, and the vehicles are driveable, the cars may be moved. Citizens are required to exchange names and insurance information. The police are not charged with finding "fault" at an accident. They are charged with finding cause. It will be your insurance company who will be most interested in determining fault.

8. False, though it may be a contributing factor. The number one cause of accidents (caused events) is inattention. Number two is failure to yield, number three is speeding (or driving too fast for conditions) and number four is following too close.

9. True. The safest place in any car is the back seat, always properly restrained. One of the most dangerous times and places for your child? From birth to age three months, when riding in a rear facing infant seat in the front seat of a car. An infant riding in the front seat can be killed or injured by an inflating air bag. The back seat is the place to be....always.

10. True. Hard to believe! What should you do if you see a car traveling down the road with the children bouncing around in the back seat unrestrained? Get a description of the car and license number and call it in to the local police. You could save a life.

11. The pedestrian is at fault for not allowing you the time to safely stop your car. But does it really matter? You just killed someone's wife, child, husband or son. Watch out for pedestrians and yield the right of way. Be the smarter guy, it will be easier to live with yourself afterward.

12. 2%. A pretty measly number, all told. How can you spot a driver under the influence? Weaving, driving excessively slow or fast, driving with the windshield wipers on, though it isn't raining, driving with the windows down on a cold night, driving with their head hanging out the window, and here's a big one: 30% of all drivers stopped driving without headlights at night are intoxicated. What should you do if you spot a driver under the influence? Call it in to the local police with the best description of the car and license number that you can give without getting too close to the car. With a good license number, the police don't have to "catch" them, they just pull into the violator's driveway and wait for them to arrive.

How did you do? Not as well as you think? Check out the NTSI site for additional information.

Drive safely.

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