PALMDALE – Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford and the Palmdale City Council proclaimed Wednesday, Sept. 12 as “Don’t Text and Drive Day” in the City of Palmdale in memory of Palmdale resident Jacob Hefter.
Hefter’s life was cut short in the Metrolink train crash on September 12, 2008 that was caused by the result of someone making the wrongful decision to text while driving a train.
“Jacob Hefter of Palmdale was a young man with a deep passion and respect for life and great ambitions, and was actively involved in the community on many different and diverse levels,” Ledford said at the Sept. 5 Palmdale City Council Meeting to Jacob’s parents, Alan and Angela Hefter. “He shared his love of life with others and helped them make positive choices.”
The Jacob Hefter Foundation was created to help build awareness on the perils of texting and driving, to provide assistance to young adults in their pursuit of higher education, and to raise awareness of making positive choices and promoting healthy lifestyles.
Also on Sept. 12, Chili’s Restaurants in Palmdale, Lancaster and Santa Clarita will donate a portion of the proceeds from meal purchases to the Jacob Hefter Foundation.
According to the National Safety Council estimates, at least 24 percent of all traffic crashes, or at least 1.4 million crashes each year, are caused by drivers using cell phones and texting.
For more information about the Jacob Hefter Foundation, visit http://www.jacobhefterfoundation.org.
(Information via press release from the City of Palmdale.)
–
gail says
Alan and Angela,
congrats for this day, I know how hard you both work on this. lots of love to you.
D.Nep says
Great honor….Bless the Hefter family. However, what should a resident do when witnessing local law enforcement breaking the law by texting in their squad cars during a shift?
... says
What should a resident do? Thank the politicians in Sacramento, for excluding law enforcement from these rules.
CVC 23123.5. (a) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using an electronic wireless communications device to write, send, or read a text-based communication.
[snip]
(e) This section does not apply to an emergency services professional using an electronic wireless communications device while operating an authorized emergency vehicle, as defined in Section 165, in the course and scope of his or her duties
realitycheck says
I suppose you could always go get a job in law enforcement. Are you also offended that cops get to go through red lights and drive real fast on occasion? This also may shock you: They get to carry guns too!!
sacryinshame says
None of that surprises me or offends me. I am glad they are there with their guns….when they show up. I do wish there was something we could de about the civilians stopping in the middle of the street when cops or other emergency vehicles come up behind them. Why doesn’t anyone do anything about people not moving to the right? Sorry, that was off topic!