Youth Coalition joins call to pass Sammy's Law

Photo from Vision Zero Youth Council

15th March 2024, New York - The Child Health Initiative with Transformation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets led an online campaign to call on the government to pass Sammy’s Law - a legislation named in honor of 12-year-old Sammy Cohen Eckstein, who was killed by a driver just steps away from his Brooklyn home in 2013. It calls on governments to lower New York’s speed limit from 30 to 25 mph.

The online campaign asked partners to share social posts to support the rally from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EST on 15 March to persuade the New York State Assembly to include the legislation in its budget.

The campaign shares an open letter addressed to Carl E. Heastie, Speaker of the New York State Assembly. The letter elaborated on how Sammy’s Law can play a crucial role in helping the United States meet the goal to half road deaths and injuries by 2030, set by the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety.

According to the letter “Sammy’s Law will help ensure more families do not endure the tragic loss of a child.” It also shared examples of cities that have implemented low-speed streets, citing “London has reported a 25% decrease in serious injuries and deaths and a 63% reduction in pedestrian collisions. In Helsinki traffic-related injuries fell by 42% and in Fortaleza, Brazil, the fatality rate halved. Within the United States, we are delighted to see cities such as Seattle, WA, Minneapolis, MN, and Washington DC, have adopted 20mph on neighborhood streets. New York City is notable in its absence.”

Get involved in efforts to lower speeds by sharing the open letter on social media. Find it in the link below;