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Addition of Third Fleet of Vehicles Provided by Kia America Facilitates Concurrent Programs in North Carolina, Nebraska and California
- More than 110,000 teens and parents have been trained over the past 15 years.
- Teens who graduate from B.R.A.K.E.S. are 64 percent less likely to be in a crash in their first three years of driving.
Concord, N.C. (August 24, 2023) – For the first time in its 15-year history, the B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) national teen pro-active driving school founded by multi-time Top Fuel drag racing champion Doug Herbert has trained more than 1,000 teens and their parents in one weekend.
The record-setting weekend marked the first time that B.R.A.K.E.S. has conducted training sessions in three different cities concurrently. Programs were held in Concord, North Carolina and San Marcos, California, as well as in Lincoln, Nebraska–the program’s first-ever visit to “The Cornhusker State.”
Capacity sessions in all three locations featured hands-on instruction in distracted driving awareness, panic braking, drop-wheel/off-road recovery, crash avoidance and car control/skid recovery – all the biggest causes of crashes for new drivers.
The record-setting weekend furthered the B.R.A.K.E.S. goal of hosting an unprecedented number of training sessions throughout the U.S. in 2023. In addition to Nebraska, B.R.A.K.E.S. will visit new locations in Kentucky, Nevada and Texas this year. The program also returns to popular venues in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Updated schedule and registration information is accessible at www.putonthebrakes.org.
Expansion of the life-saving program—which has now surpassed 110,000 teens and parents trained since its inception—has been facilitated by three fleets of 22 all-new vehicles provided by Kia. This includes popular models Carnival, Forte, Niro, Rio, Seltos, Sorento, Sportage, Soul and Telluride.
“The growth of our program has exceeded any expectations I could ever have had when B.R.A.K.E.S. was established 15 years ago in memory of my two sons Jon and James” explains Herbert. “On behalf of our entire organization, I’d like to thank Kia America for its support, which has been invaluable in helping us make U.S. roadways safer. Together, we’re helping teens and their parents become more confident and prepared behind the wheel.”
Established in 2008 following a tragic car crash that claimed the lives of Herbert’s sons Jon and James, the GuideStar Platinum-rated 501(c)(3) addresses a leading cause of death among teens – car crashes – helping to improve road safety and prevent other parents from facing the heartbreaking loss of a child.
Through their participation in the pro-active defensive driving program, B.R.A.K.E.S. graduates are 64 percent less likely to get in a crash within their first three years of driving, according to an independent study conducted by Dr. Paul Friday of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
B.R.A.K.E.S. is NOT Driver’s Ed. It is a FREE, hands-on, advanced driver training program taught by professional instructors, including current and former members of law enforcement, professional racers and stunt drivers. B.R.A.K.E.S. maintains a low two-to-one student-to-instructor ratio to maximize educational effectiveness.
Each weekend B.R.A.K.E.S. school includes identical sessions to allow parents and teens to pick one that will fit into their busy schedules. Each session features three hours of training, starting with a classroom presentation followed by extensive training behind the wheel of brand-new vehicles from the Kia lineup.
About B.R.A.K.E.S.
Doug Herbert’s B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe) is a GuideStar Platinum-rated 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to prevent injuries and save lives by training and educating teenage drivers and their parents about the importance of safe and responsible driving. B.R.A.K.E.S. was founded in 2008 after Top Fuel drag racer Doug Herbert lost his two young sons, Jon and James, in a tragic car crash. Today, more than 110,000 teens and parents from 50 different states and five countries have participated in the B.R.A.K.E.S. intensive training course.
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