Keeping Kids Safe in Our Subways
Under a new partnership with the state and MTA, NYC is rolling out an initiative to spread word about the dangers of subway surfing.
What we've done
Our new "Subway Surfing Kills – Ride Inside, Stay Alive" campaign is a targeted response to the increase in subway surfing incidents that have claimed the lives of several youth in our city.
This dangerous trend has been spreading due to more youth catching wind of it on social media. We are now working with state partners, the MTA and youth themselves to raise awareness and help prevent the next deadly incident on our subways.
Fast facts
- This new campaign was crafted with help from the NYC Department of Education, the NYPD and the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development
- Many of the graphics, animations, posters and banners we'll be posting around the city were created by students themselves
- The goal is to also use social media to have a reverse effect on the viral subway surfing messages that have been spreading
- We are also working with Google to help spread the messaging on Youtube
- NYPD officers will do their part by standing watch on outdoor elevated lines and conducting home visits with youth who have been seen riding outside of trains
- Since 2023, the city has recorded five fatalities due to suspected subway surfing
- That's compared to five total fatalities that were reported between 2018 and 2022
Why it matters
Subway surfing is irresponsible, dangerous and deadly. We are working hard to combat the negative influence of social media by working with teens themselves to spread the word to their own peers.
We believe this is one of the best ways we can make our own messaging spread across our city and help keep New Yorkers safe. Each subway surfing death tragically strips away the lives and promising futures of our youth, and we cannot allow this trend to continue.
