Jefferson City Teens Take BRAKES Driving Safety Course | Mid-Missouri News

Excited teens and proud parents gathered in Jefferson City to attend the Proactive Driving School for Teens, hosted by Doug Herbert, called “BRAKES.” The program is completely free for any teen aged 15-17 and it teaches them valuable “in the moment” thinking skills on the road, such as skidding training, braking response and much more.

The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher for teens ages 16 to 19 than for any other age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The fatal crash rate per mile traveled among teen drivers in this age group is nearly three times higher than for drivers ages 20 and older, according to the CDC.

Brendon Short is one of the lead instructors at BRAKES and says this high risk is the main reason for the free programs.

“Our goal is to teach teens that driving is a full-time job,” Short said. “You always have to be careful: Pick up your cell phone and put it away.”

The program was started by former racing champion Doug Herbert in 2008 after losing his two sons in a car accident. Today, this nonprofit program runs classes across America.

Students participate in a skid recovery course, a collision avoidance course, an anti-lock brake system course and a distracted driving course. While the teens work with volunteer driving instructors, parents in attendance also participate in training.

“When parents come in with their teens, most of them don't know that we also have a parent course set up for them,” Short said, “and we give them tips and help them learn how to teach their teenagers. They don't yell at their teen or give them instructions; they will also drive and have a shared experience with their teenager. »

Heather Eisterhold was one of the parents in attendance and learned more about his driving habits than she ever expected.

“I learned how to use my braking system to make it work, so that was beneficial,” Eisterhold said.

She also added that after hearing about the course on social media, she was more than happy with what the program had in store for her and her son.

“A great team here is putting this project together, and it's for a really great cause that will keep kids safe on the roads,” Eisterhold said.