Herbert hopes to put BRAKES on reckless driving

Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare.

Doug Herbert will never forget the moment he learned that his sons, Jon, 17, and James, 12, were killed in a car accident Jan. 26, 2008. Jon and James were only a few miles from home. A few days later, a devastated Herbert went back to the crash site. He knew that Jon had driven recklessly, and most likely, too fast.

"I thought, you know, there has got to be something I can do about this, and if I choose not to, it would be like I was a criminal," Herbert said. "I decided to try to do something."

Herbert partnered with Jon's classmates at South Lake Christian Academy to create a name for a safe driving foundation.

The students came up with BRAKES, which stands for Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe. Within a month of the accident, Herbert, a National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel drag racer, established BRAKES as a nonprofit organization in memory of his two sons.

BRAKES participants must have at least a learner's permit to attend the free one-day class. Typically, 50 - 60 students sign up for the classes, held at the zMax Dragway in Charlotte, National Guard Armory in Columbia, S.C., and BMW Performance Center in Greer, S.C. Instructors come from various backgrounds, from racing professionals to law enforcement officers.

The program made a difference in Kyle Pearl's life. This summer, the Mooresville High School junior lost control of his 1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo on N.C. 150. Pearl had trouble slowing down as the car in front of him stopped to make a turn on the slick, wet roads. Avoiding a crash with the other car was the only thought running through Pearl's mind as the rain beat down on his windshield.

"I remembered what they taught us in the BRAKES foundation," Pearl said. "As I got closer, I let off the brake, let the tires get traction, allowed the car to turn and as I tried to go back around him, I hit the soft shoulder. If I didn't take the class, I would not have remembered. I would be having to pay for my car and the guy in front of me."

Pearl had to drive a BRAKES car on a wet skid pad, which taught him how to properly recover from over steer and under street kids. Also, he learned how to stop a vehicle in the shortest distance while maintaining control, make quick decisions without losing control and negotiate a tight course while being distracted by an instructor. Proper hand position on the steering wheel and eye scanning were reviewed in the program.

Pearl's mother, Joann Neubaur, also got to participate in the class by driving the same courses as the students. "So many things we take for granted when you are driving," she said. "How many times do you drive from point A to point B and your like, ‘Wow. Did I go through that light? I don't remember.' With Doug bringing this into the foundation....he really lit my eyes up."

Pearl has continued taking an interest in BRAKES. He volunteers at the classes by helping set up cones, registering students and passing out flyers. It is a chance for him to spend time with friends, and educate the public on the importance of safe driving. Pearl even wants to take the class again.

"You have nothing to lose," he said. "You don't have to pay for anything. You still get to keep your kid, your car and low insurance. You are trusted on the road."

Implementing the BRAKES program in the schools as part of the driver education course is one of Herbert's goals.

Until then, he goes to the schools, sometimes bringing his racecars, which always impresses the students. But once they hear Doug recall the death of his two sons, the students come up to him crying, saying, "Dude, I had no idea."

"BRAKES is really therapy for me," said Herbert, who owns Doug Herbert Performance Parts in Lincolnton.

"It's kind of fulfilling and neat to see the difference we make in the teens lives and the parents lives. We get a lot of feedback from parents and teenagers who have come to the school and say what a difference it has made."

To learn more about BRAKES, call 1-866-YOU-BRAKES or visit www.putonthebrakes.org.

Lincolntimesnews.com
By: Sarah Melton

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