Kia Motors America And B.R.A.K.E.S. Teen Pro-Active Driving School Expand Complimentary Hands-On Defensive Driving Program To New Cities In 2013

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- To educate teenagers and their parents about the importance of responsible driving habits, Kia Motors America (KMA) and B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) Teen Pro-Active Driving School, recently added new cities to the 2013 training calendar.  As the official vehicle and presenting sponsor of B.R.A.K.E.S., Kia provided a fleet of 32 vehicles to support the charity's life-saving mission.  B.R.A.K.E.S. provides teens nationwide with no-cost, hands-on training, including a distracted driving exercise, emergency braking using the anti-lock braking system (ABS), evasive maneuvering and skid-control practice. 

"KMA's partnership with B.R.A.K.E.S. underscores our company's commitment to safety and to giving back to the communities in which we do business," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, KMA.  "Taking care of our children and making the roads safer for everyone is a noble cause, and we're proud to help B.R.A.K.E.S. founder Doug Herbert and his team grow the program to engage more teens and their parents."

Upcoming training dates include Nov. 23 - 24 in Raleigh, N.C. (wait list only); Nov. 30 - Dec. 1 in Pomona, Calif., and Dec. 7 - 8 in Irvine, Calif.  And through a recently announced collaboration with the North Carolina Highway Patrol, additional schools are expected to be added soon in the Raleigh, N.C., area, as well as other locations.

"More than 85-percent of teens will have an accident in their first three years on the road," said Herbert, NHRA Top Fuel drag racer and founder of B.R.A.K.E.S. "Kia's partnership has helped expand the training program to new cities and save lives by educating teens and their parents about the importance of defensive driving techniques."

Founded in 2008, B.R.A.K.E.S. has provided safe driving instruction courses for nearly 10,000 students in the U.S. and Canada.  The school offers nearly four hours of hands-on training with a low three-to-one student-to-teacher ratio to ensure personal attention, and parents participate in the courses alongside their teens to ensure proper driving techniques are reinforced following the session.  Teens with parents who set driving rules and monitor their activities are half as likely to crash, 71 percent less likely to drive intoxicated, 30 percent less likely to use a cell phone when driving and less inclined to speed[1].

The B.R.A.K.E.S. Training Curriculum includes the following –

• Accident Avoidance/Slalom:  The two-part course simulates an animal or object jumping out in front of a car.  It forces students to make a split-second reaction to help negotiate a quick, evasive lane change without losing control of the vehicle.  Students must navigate their vehicle around cones while focusing on weight transfer, hand positioning and eye scanning.
• Distracted Driving:  In 2009 it was estimated more than 5,400 people died in crashes that were reported to involve a distracted driver and about 448,000 people were injured[2].  The course demonstrates the danger that cell phones, text messaging, and other distractions can pose while driving.
• Drop Wheel/Off Road Recovery:  The drop-wheel recovery course teaches students how to effectively recover from a drop-wheel situation by regaining control of the car and safely returning to the roadway.
• Panic Stop:  Teens often lack the experience needed to judge a safe following distance.  The panic stop course instructs students on proper braking techniques to help stop a vehicle in the shortest distance possible while maintaining control.  Students experience firsthand the pulsating brake pedal effects of ABS and how to control the vehicle when ABS in engaged.
• Car Control and Recovery:  A wet skid pad simulates wet-road conditions.  Students learn how to recover from both over-steer (rear wheel) and under-steer (front wheel) skids.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 765 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA.  In 2012, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and gained U.S. market share for the 18th consecutive year.  Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, advanced safety features and new technologies.

Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its website – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at http://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

About B.R.A.K.E.S. 
B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by NHRA Mello Yellow Series Top Fuel drag racer Doug Herbert in memory of his two sons, Jon and James, who were tragically killed in a car accident.  The B.R.A.K.E.S. Teen Pro-Active Driving School is a free, defensive driving program.  By training and educating teenage drivers and their parents, the program aims to promote safe driving in an attempt to prevent injuries and save lives. To volunteer, obtain more information or donate please visit www.putonthebrakes.org.

[1] See http://www.ghsa.org/html/media/pressreleases/2013/20131017ntdsw.html

[2] See http://www.distraction.gov/research/PDF-Files/Distracted-Driving-2009.pdf.

SOURCE Kia Motors America