Racers urge driving safety

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A Charlotte area drag racer continues his mission to save teen drivers and their parents from his tragedy.

Now, some big names in NASCAR are joining his fight.

A majority of the fatal car accidents involving teens happen between May and August. Knowing that, Top Fuel Dragster Doug Herbert teamed up with NASCAR team owner Ray Evernham and NASCAR driver Elliot Sadler to stress driving safety to seniors at North Mecklenburg High School.

The crowd of seniors erupted with cheers and clapping when the three men took the stage. It was an enthusiastic welcome, for such a serious message.

“Hey this does happen, your friends can get killed… be careful driving and talking on the phone and getting distracted because that’s a big cause of accidents,” says Herbert, who knows the consequences when teens don’t take driving seriously.

“Everyday when I go to or from my house I have to drive right by the place where my sons got killed, right on the side of the road and it’s difficult.”

Five months after the wreck that killed his sons, 17-year-old Jon and 12-year-old James, it’s still difficult for Herbert to speak of. So he brought some friends to help get his message across.

“I remember being in high school, being in those same seats, thinking it cannot happen to me,” explains NASCAR driver Elliot Sadler.

He says a friend of his died in a car accident right before his junior prom.

“We lost a loved one, a fellow classmate to being stupid at this time of year.”

Sadler says he actually feels safer on the race track than on the highway because of all the distracted drivers going different directions.

“Some people are on the cell phone, some people are eating, and some people are putting make up on,” he described.

And his team owner, Ray Evernham had a lot to say about driving. “It’s a responsibility. Be aware of what you’re doing.”

The irony of working in racing and telling teens to slow down was not lost on him. But he says NASCAR race cars and regular cars are very different and so are the environments where they drive.

“The street is not a race track," Evernham said. "Come to the race track and we’ll teach you how to go fast. We’ll teach you how to build cars. We’re always looking for drivers who can go fast, but not on the streets.”

Every year 6,000 teens die in car accidents. Charlotte ranks ninth in the country when it comes to the most fatal accidents involving teens -- that’s higher than New York, L.A., and Chicago.

But it wasn’t all serious. There was a good laugh when one girl in the audience asked Sadler if he had a girlfriend. Much to the dismay of many, his answer was yes.