Drag racer whose sons died in crash teaches teens driving safety

Doug Herbert is a drag racing champion who devoted himself to teaching teens how to keep themselves safe on the road after his own teenage sons were killed in a crash in 2008.

Herbert is bringing four sessions of his four-hour defensive driving class to Schaumburg Boomers Stadium on Oct. 14 and 15.

BRAKES (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) is a charitable program whose sessions are free, though they require a $99 deposit that's automatically refunded to students who show up.

Though Herbert has always accepted a level of danger in his chosen profession, he said it was reckless speeding on the part of his 17-year-old son Jon that took both his life and that of his 13-year-old brother, James.

"That's what prompted me to start BRAKES," Herbert said. "My initial goal was to train their friends to be defensive drivers. I was 17 before, too. When you're 17 you think you're bulletproof."

Herbert, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, believes it's both his own love of cars and his personal tragedy that make his message connect with his teenage audience. But he knows it's their parents - at least one of whom must accompany each student - who are most responsible for enrolling them in the class.

"What we're teaching is absolutely not driver's ed," he said. "It's lifesaving skills behind the wheel. No driver's ed is going to teach the things that we're teaching."

The class is open to those 15 to 19 years old with a valid permit or driver's license who have at least 30 hours of driving experience.

The available sessions - while spaces remain available - are from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. both Oct. 14 and 15 at Boomers Stadium, 1999 S. Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg.

For more information and to register, visit putonthebrakes.org.

"There's a million good things that come out of it and no bad things," Herbert often tells parents of the free classes. "I'm a car guy and I want teenagers to love their cars."