Amidst Rising Teen Fatality Rates, The B.R.A.K.E.S. Teen Defensive Driving Class

Posted by Puton The Brakes on December 26th, 2020

At a time when preoccupation and distraction is at its greatest and the risk of car crashes is escalated, the importance of behind-the-wheel safety is unprecedented. In response, B.R.A.K.E.S. and the NCSHP have issued a list of recommendations—usually given to students by professional instructors during the course of a typical training program —with the objective of limiting crashes and making roadways safer.

“Now more than ever, distraction seems to be at its peak, as Americans find themselves preoccupied with stress, worry and uncertainty,” said B.R.A.K.E.S. Founder Doug Herbert. “In this critical time, it’s essential that drivers maintain focus while their minds are preoccupied.  With fewer cars on the road, we have a unique ability to reduce the rate of car crashes and the resulting injuries.”

Recommendations include:

• Parents: avoid calling texting or calling your teen when you know they are probably driving.
• Don’t text! In the three seconds it typically takes to send a message, you’ll travel the length of a football field—an average of almost a 100 feet per second.
• Keep your eyes up and constantly scan. DON’T look down at the distractions inside your vehicle.
• Don’t multitask when driving. Stay 100 percent focused on driving.
• Activate the “Do Not Disturb while Driving” feature on your iPhone or Android device.
• Pull into a parking lot to make a phone call or text.

Distracted driving kills 9+ Americans and injures more than 1,000 people each day, according to NHTSA. In addition, 660,000 drivers are texting or making a call at any time during the day. Avoid becoming a statistic.

More comprehensive information about proactive defensive driving for teens and their parents is accessible at www.putonthebrakes.org.

Media Contacts:

B.R.A.K.E.S.                                                     N.C. State Highway Patrol

Jeff Perlman                                                     Christopher D. Knox | First Sergeant

818.317.3070                                                     984.349.6577

Jeff@PutOnTheBRAKES.org                             Christopher.Knox@ncshp.org