Utilizing vehicles provided by Kia Motors America, national charity founded by NHRA Champion Doug Herbert will offer classes across the U.S.
Concord, N.C. (February 28, 2019) –In response to growing demand, the B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) national teen defensive driving program founded by multi-time Top Fuel drag racing champion Doug Herbert in honor of his sons is planning 40 weekend schools during 2019. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit is supported by official vehicle partner Kia Motors America and several other corporate sponsors, major donors and grant providers.
Today’s announcement comes on the heels of record participation in 2018, with approximately 5,900 teens and more than 6,300 parents taking part in the life-saving program last year. Since its inception in 2008, B.R.A.K.E.S. has taught more than 35,000 young drivers, plus their parents, critical skills to make the country’s roadways safer.
In an attempt to impact as many families as possible, B.R.A.K.E.S. will return to key markets with multiple visits to zMax Dragway in Concord, North Carolina; Carowinds Park in Charlotte; the Manheim Auto Auction near Orlando, Florida; and Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California. In addition, new stops planned for 2019 already include Ypsilanti, Michigan; Wichita, Kansas; and San Marcos, California.
Following its successful visit to Detroit’s Belle Isle in 2018, B.R.A.K.E.S. is intending multiple visits to the “Motor City,” thanks in part to a new affiliation with the annual Swing for Safety charity golf tournament at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. In addition, with returning support from Kia’s Central Region and dealer groups around the Midwest, the program will be back in Kansas City, St. Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Chicago.
Other stops on B.R.A.K.E.S.’ 2019 tour include Atlanta, Memphis and Phoenix, with Topeka and Charleston, South Carolina currently listed as tentative.
Established in 2008 following a tragic car crash that took the lives of Herbert’s sons Jon and James, the GuideStar Platinum-rated 501(c)(3) non-profit has trained more than 35,000 teens since its inception. Herbert developed the free lifesaving defensive driver training program to deal with the number-one cause of death among teens – car crashes – helping to improve road safety for all and prevent other parents from facing the heartbreak of losing a child.
“It’s our honor – and our responsibility – to make this training available to as many teens in as many locations as we possibly can,” said Herbert. “Thanks to our incredible staff, instructors and volunteers – as well as all of our donors, including the incredibly generous Terry Vance, corporate partners, like Kia Motors America and DENSO, and grants from several state Departments of Transportation, General Motors and others – we’ll be able to do that in 2019, and well beyond.”
For more information, including a complete schedule of events, and to register for a school, please visit www.putonthebrakes.org.
Advanced Driver Training
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 three-to-one student-to-instructor ratio to maximize educational effectiveness.
Each weekend B.R.A.K.E.S. school includes four identical sessions to allow parents and teens to pick one that will fit into their busy schedules. Each session includes four hours of training, starting with a short, 45-minute classroom presentation followed by nearly three hours behind the wheel of new Kia vehicles.
Courses include distracted driving awareness, panic braking, drop-wheel/off-road recovery, crash avoidance and car control/skid recovery – all of the biggest causes of crashes for new drivers. Other educational elements often include ‘Big Rig’ safety, first responder vehicle extrication demonstration, and what to do in the event of a traffic stop.
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 35,000 teens from 45 different states and five countries – and their parents – have graduated from the B.R.A.K.E.S.’ intensive half-day 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.
2019 SCHEDULE*
Dates Location
January 19-20 California State University, San Marcos
February 2-3 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
February 9-10 Carowinds (Charlotte, North Carolina)
February 23-24 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
Los Angeles County Fairplex (Pomona, California)
March 2-3 Manheim Orlando Auto Auction (Ocoee, Florida)
March 9-10 Carowinds (Charlotte, North Carolina)
March 16-17 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
March 30-31 North Carolina Trooper Training Center (Raleigh)
April 6-7 Atlanta Motor Speedway (Hampton, Georgia)
California State University, San Marcos
April 13-14 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
April 27-28 Los Angeles County Fairplex (Pomona, California)
May 18-19 North Carolina Trooper Training Center (Raleigh)
June 1-2 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
June 8-9 AMC Willow Run (Ypsilanti, Michigan)
June 22-23 North Carolina Trooper Training Center (Raleigh)
July 13-14 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
Los Angeles County Fairplex (Pomona, California)
July 20-21 California State University, San Marcos
August 3-4 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
August 10-11 Topeka, Kansas – tentative
August 23-25 Kansas Speedway (Kansas City, Kansas)
September 7-8 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
September 14-15 Manheim Orlando Auto Auction (Ocoee, Florida)
September 21-22 Harper College (Schaumburg, Illinois)
September 28-29 North Carolina Trooper Training Center (Raleigh)
Lorain County Community College (Elyria, Ohio)
October 5-6 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
Belle Isle (Detroit)
October 26-27 Memphis International Raceway
November 1-3 Gateway Motorsports Park (St. Louis)
November 9-10 Carowinds (Charlotte, North Carolina)
November 16-17 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
California State University, San Marcos
December 7-8 zMax Dragway, (Concord, North Carolina)
Los Angeles County Fairplex (Pomona, California)
TBD Wichita, Kansas
Cincinnati, Ohio
Charleston, South Carolina
*All dates and locations subject to change. Please visit www.putonthebrakes.org to view updated schedule.
5 star I don't know that I could say enough good things about this program. The organization and Instructors are phenomenal. The information is beneficial for not only teens, but the adults as well. My daughter LOVED this whole experience, is going to write about it in her school newspaper, and c... Click to Read More!
-Holly R, Detroit MI
Just want to drop a note of thanks to KKW for being a part of the driving school. Working in the transportation industry it is my hope that my son is not going to be one of those that cuts off trucks on the road or even worse is in an accident with a truck because of his ignorance of what the truck... Click to Read More!
-Dave Burrescia
