Institute For Safer Trucking Partners With Road Ready Foundation After Teen’s Tragic Death

Following the tragic death of a young man in Florida in a road accident in 2023, the Institute for Safer Trucking (IST) is working with the Road Ready Foundation, founded by the man’s father to educate teenage drivers.

In 2023, 19-year-old Jackson Bebiak was a passenger in a vehicle that hydroplaned in inclement weather and collided with an 18-wheeler in Florida, and he died as a result. Investigations revealed that the vehicle’s tires lacked sufficient tread, and that the truck was following too closely and driving over the speed limit.

Jackson’s father, Alex Bebiak, founded the Road Ready Foundation to prepare teenage drivers for the road by educating them about vehicle maintenance and tire safety. Using Jackson’s story to spread awareness, the organization works with industry stakeholders and other nonprofits, including IST, to bring about change.

IST works to reduce truck crash fatalities through advocacy, safety regulations and survivor support. While the organization pushes for speed limiters, underride protections and automatic emergency braking industry-wide, it also offers a platform for families who have lost loved ones in truck crashes to connect and share their stories.

Together, the Road Ready Foundation and IST aim to boost public awareness through educational programs, social media campaigns, and advocacy efforts. This collective endeavor is part of a larger movement to reduce truck-related fatalities, especially in Texas, California, Florida, and Georgia — the four deadliest states for truck crashes — where more than 1,800 such deaths were reported in 2022.