Dale Jr. & Herbert Tackle Teen Driving Awareness Month

Handing the car keys to a teenager is a terrifying rite of passage for any parent. You worry about their speed, other drivers, and most of all, the distraction of a smartphone. January serves as Teen Driving Awareness Month, and a powerful trio is uniting to tackle that specific danger. Doug Herbert and his B.R.A.K.E.S. teen driver training program have joined forces with Nationwide and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the launch of Nationwide’s Focused Driving Rewards safety program.

Herbert founded B.R.A.K.E.S. to teach proactive driving skills following a personal tragedy, and his program is highly respected for its hands-on training. The campaign footage was filmed on a B.R.A.K.E.S. course near Charlotte, showing a parent and teen learning vehicle control together. It reinforces that driving is a skill built through experience rather than just a license earned at the DMV. The primary target of this launch is the phone. We know how difficult it is to ignore a notification, especially for a young driver who feels the need to stay connected.

The concept is simple enough for anyone to use. You download the app, drive without handling your phone, and earn points. Those points eventually turn into gift cards, with the potential to earn up to $60 every six months. It effectively pays you to drive safely. You do not even have to be a Nationwide customer to sign up. Early numbers show it works, with nearly 40% of users dropping their phone usage significantly after joining.

Dale Jr. admits that this topic hits differently now that he is a father. He noted that as a parent, he knows how important it is to set the right example behind the wheel. If you text at red lights, your child will likely mimic that behavior. This partnership gives families a tool to track habits and reward good ones. As we continue through Teen Driving Awareness Month, this might be the best way to keep eyes on the road. It turns a constant argument into a game where everyone wins, making Teen Driving Awareness Month count for something more than just a calendar date.