Who We Are
Jacob Hefter was a young man that had great ambitions along with a deep passion and respect for life. Jacob believed in sharing his love of life with others and helping them to make positive choices. He was actively involved n his community on numerous levels and was dedicated to his family, friends, and schoolwork.
On September 12, 2008, someone made the selfish decision to text while operating a train. Jacob’s life was taken by that choice, a choice which resulted in a deadly Metrolink train crash. In Jacob’s memory, a foundation was started, dedicated to raising awareness about distracted driving and provide assistance to our community’s youth.
Our Mission
The mission of the Jacob Hefter Foundation is to provide assistance to young adults in their pursuit of higher education, who have displayed characteristics of leadership, integrity, and ambition, while at the same time maintaining a clear focus towards their goals, as well as supporting the community and raising awareness regarding positive choices and promoting healthy lifestyles, and emphasizing the important practice of safe driving.
3,500
Lives lost to distracted driving last year
1 in 4
crashes involving injury involved distracted driving
10%
of drivers aged 15-19 year old were distracted at the time of fatal crashes
Our Community
The Jacob Hefter Foundation is actively involved throughout the community. We partner with the California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles County Sheriff Department, Antelope Valley Union High School District and the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster. We are sponsors with the Lancaster Jethawks baseball organization, as well as other numerous organizations.
Text Free Drivers
A 1984 Chevy Blazer, driven by Jacob and his older brothers, is now a tool used to bring awareness to the public about the dangers of texting and driving. Over 5,000 permanent signatures adorn the Blazer, as people young and old have taken the pledge to be “Text Free Drivers”
Scholarships
Over the last 10 years, the Foundation has been providing scholarship opportunities to local students who have demonstrated their commitment to the community and are pursuing higher education as part of their life goals
Virtual Driving Simulators
The Foundation has 2 state of the art driving simulators, which are used to demonstrate the dangers of distracted driving. In addition, the virtual reality simulators demonstrate the legal, financial, and health consequences of texting the driving
Mobile, Educational Distracted Driving facility
The versatility of the Foundation allows us to travel to various locations as opportunities arise. A fully self contained, high-tech trailer allows the flexibility to provide our message for any occasion, to any audience.
