Kory Enders covers the costs for half of the Clements students, while the dealership covers the rest.
The teens learn skills such as reversing, evasive lane changes and braking adjustments at the MSR Houston racing facility. The dealership says the exercises show the students safe-driving and accident-avoidance techniques and let them experience extreme situations in a controlled environment.
Enders is among a number of professional drivers who work with the students. The dealership holds four sessions each year — one for Clements and the others for the families of its clients in the access program.
“The benefit is we have happy parents, we have safe drivers, smarter drivers and we have gratitude from our clients, so there’s an intangible benefit,” Brown said. “They know that we are sincerely vested in the safety of their families and, specifically, their children.”
The training starts in the morning with classroom instruction before students get behind the wheel. Brown said the students, while donning Mercedes-Benz of Sugar Land shirts, are taught about seating position, hand and mirror placement, vision and awareness.
Over the years, some students shared during introductory portions of the class that they had been in rollover accidents. While the driving school is supposed to be fun, Brown said these episodes underscore the importance of the lessons being taught.