When my older brother was a teen driver, my mother was a nervous wreck. For three years, she answered the phone like this.. “WHATHAPPENED?” I kid you not. Then when I got my license, I can’t say I really put her at ease either. During my first week behind the wheel, not only did I get a big, fat speeding ticket but I also received an additional citation for yelling at the arresting officer. Apparently, “Silly Little Leprechaun” wasn’t how he liked to be addressed. During that same year, one of my besties drove her mom’s Volvo through her parents garage and into the kitchen (luckily she got into an Ivy League school shortly afterwards). But, in all seriousness, teen driving should scare us. According to the CDC, six teens die every day in this country due to motor vehicle accidents. But this post is not about scaring you or me. This is about getting help. I can think of no better man to do so than Doug Herbert:
Doug Herbert is well known in the automotive world for being NHRA drag racing star. In 2008, Doug lost his two sons, Jon & James, in a car accident . Doug turned his grief into a gift by creating B.R.A.K.E.S., an organization that trains kids across the country how to be better drivers. Driver’s Ed is great, but does it teach you how to avoid an accident? Nope. That’s Doug’s mission and the goal of B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe). To date, he and his staff have trained over 22,000 teenagers in 15 states FOR FREE.
I recently spent a few hours talking to Doug via Skype. His story and dedication into Teen Driving Safety moved me to tears. I struggled with how I could share of his magic with you, so I decided to ask him my Top 4 Teen Driving Questions which I spun into a little video. Number 4 will really make you think. Check it out here: