Put On The Brakes

Car crashes are among the leading causes of teen deaths in the United States. B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) is a free program that is focused on reducing the rates of teen fatalities resulting from car crashes. Founded in 2008. 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 their parents have graduated from the B.R.A.K.E.S.’ intensive training course, which is free of charge and features hands-on skills exercises taught by professional instructors in a fleet of new vehicles donated by Kia Motors America. B.R.A.K.E.S. offers teens extensive behind-the-wheel instruction from professional trainers including current and former law enforcement officers and professional racing drivers, teaching the teens and their parents how to be safer on the road. Exercises include Distracted Driving Awareness, Panic Braking, Crash Avoidance, Drop-wheel/Off-road Recovery and Car Control/Skid Recovery. The results are truly impactful: 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, according to an independent study.