Brake 4 Life
A Teen Driving Safety Initiative of Buckle Up Appalachia
Serving high schools in northeast Tennessee
Instruction and hands-on activities
Choice of a one or two-hour workshop
Grant-funded program with no cost to schools
WHY Brake 4 Life?
Losing a friend in a car crash is every teen’s worst nightmare—and it happens more often than you’d think. Car accidents are the #1 cause of death for teens in the U.S.
Right here at home, the numbers are scary too. In 2024, Washington County ranked 8th in Tennessee for teen crashes, and Sullivan County was 19th.
That’s why Buckle Up Appalachia created BRAKE 4 LIFE. We bring workshops to local high schools to show the real dangers of distracted driving, drowsy driving, speeding and more. Keep reading to see how you can help make teen driving safer for you and your friends.
What happens in our workshops?
Impact Teen Drivers Presentation
Fatal Vision® Goggles Simulation
Tennessee Checkpoints Agreement
Let’s Break it Down
Impact Teen Drivers Presentation
Listening & Learning
The presentation portion of our workshop focuses on what students told us matters most to them: real stories about real teen drivers. We share powerful testimonials from teens and families whose lives have been changed by a moment of distraction or a risky choice.
Our workshop facilitators use materials developed by Impact Teen Drivers. These materials provide teenagers with evidence-based strategies to keep themselves and others safe behind the wheel.
Fatal Vision® Goggles Simulation
Hands-On Activities
See firsthand how dangerous impaired driving can be — within the safety of the classroom. Our Fatal Vision® Drowsy and Distracted Goggles simulate three types of driving impairment:
- Distracted Dialing: See what really happens when you take your eyes off the road for a moment to make a phone call, with the goggles blacking out every three seconds.
- Texting and Driving: These simulate the dangerous 4.6-second blackout that occurs when you look down to read or send a text.
- Drowsy Driving: Watch the effects of microsleeps, those tiny moments when your brain and eyes shut down for a few seconds, with the goggles blacking out for progressively longer periods.
Tennessee Checkpoints Agreement
Helping Teens and Parents Agree on Safe Driving Practices
Does your family have any rules about safe driving? What happens if the rules aren’t followed?
The Tennessee Checkpoints program helps teens and their parents or caregivers discuss safe driving habits, identify risks, and gradually increase driving privileges together.
Invite Us to Your School!
What can you do to reduce teen crashes and save lives? We’ve got the program — we’re just waiting for you to invite us!
Whether you’re a teacher, administrator, student, or parent, we’d love to hear from you. Please fill out our BRAKE 4 Life Workshop Interest Form, and we’ll be in touch soon!
Request a BRAKE 4 LIFE Workshop
Partnerships
BRAKE 4 LIFE workshops are made possible by a generous grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office.
Resources
Looking to learn more about teen driving safety?
Reduce TN Crashes impacts our communities by connecting high schools with teen traffic safety activities to increase traffic safety awareness and reduce traffic crashes. Participating high schools in Tennessee can earn points as their students complete a variety of traffic safety activities.
Youth of Virginia Speak Out (YOVASO) is a statewide, peer-to-peer education and leadership program that empowers teenagers to work towards the prevention of their number one health concern – motor vehicle crashes. We are grateful to YOVASO for their input as we developed the BRAKE 4 Life program.
Meet Samuel Jones:
your guide to driving smart
I’m Samuel, and I’m passionate about helping teens like you become safe, confident drivers. As the Senior Program Coordinator for Buckle Up Appalachia, I’ve spent years working to make our roads and communities safer.
My work isn’t just about cars—it’s about a bigger picture of safety. I’m a certified expert in everything from child passenger safety to teen driving and even rail safety. I’m proud to be a board member for Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO), where I help lead a peer-to-peer initiative to prevent crashes.
I also work with Operation Lifesaver, an organization dedicated to preventing train-related incidents. Whether you’re in a car, on a bike, or on foot, I’m here to teach you how to be aware and make smart choices around railroad tracks.
My goal is to give you the skills and knowledge you need to stay safe on the road so you can focus on the journey ahead.