FILE PHOTO: New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams speaks throughout a press convention on the Metropolis Corridor, after it was revealed that he obtained a recent spherical of federal grand jury subpoenas, New York Metropolis, U.S., August 16, 2024. REUTERS/Adam Grey/File Picture
Final week in New York Metropolis, a younger lady died, and one other was severely injured whereas illegally driving on high of a transferring subway prepare. As New Yorkers have seen in far too many headlines — this isn’t an remoted incident. The attract of social media fame has lured too many younger individuals on high of trains, and the implications have been lethal. What’s worse, the businesses whose algorithms promote this lethal content material haven’t accomplished almost sufficient to place an finish to it.
Right here in New York Metropolis, we’re doing our half to guard younger New Yorkers from the hazards of driving atop trains. In November 2023, the NYPD began a program that makes use of actual information from 911 and 311 experiences of individuals driving on high of trains. The police division then deploys drones and area groups to these areas primarily based on the decision information, throughout the busiest days and occasions.
Two drones conduct patrols over the trains and officers search for anybody driving on high. If that’s the case, the sphere staff is notified, and because the prepare pulls into the subsequent station, the prepare is held so the people will be eliminated. For the reason that NYPD started conducting these operations, there have been over 1,000 drone flights which have helped cease these driving on the highest of trains. Extra importantly, our officers have helped save the lives of 114 people — starting from 9 years outdated to 33 years outdated, with the common age being 14 years outdated.
We’d like your assist to make this drone program work. Regardless of who you might be or the place you see it, should you see anybody making an attempt to get on high of a prepare, name 911 and report it. You would possibly save a younger life by making that decision — a life like Zackery Nazario, whose mom, Norma, joined me in Queens to replace New Yorkers on our drone program. Norma described Zackery as an outdated soul — his favourite artists had been Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. However at simply 15 years outdated, Zackery was killed driving on high of a subway, goaded there by social media. Norma carries his funeral card along with her in all places she goes.
Norma mentioned that social media has a job to play, and so they’re not fulfilling their duties. She’s proper. From 2021 to 2022, there was a 366 p.c enhance in individuals driving exterior the subway. Those that host and financially revenue from that content material should be held accountable, and I’ve known as on Tik Tok and different social media platforms to ban these harmful movies instantly — and to make it possible for movies that promote subway browsing are eliminated earlier than they go viral. Actually, we sued the house owners of TikTok and 4 different fashionable social media platforms to make sure they take the impression they’ve on our younger individuals much more severely than they’ve been.
Along with the elevated enforcement, our administration, in partnership with Governor Hochul and the Metropolitan Transit Authority, launched the “Subway Browsing Kills – Experience Inside, Keep Alive” marketing campaign in September 2023. It options younger individuals speaking to their friends in regards to the risks of subway browsing.
However we additionally want each New Yorker to play their half in combating this lethal pattern. If you’re a dad or mum, speak to your youngsters now in regards to the risks of driving on high of trains. Even should you assume your youngster would by no means do it, they know somebody who simply would possibly strive. If you’re a teen, don’t encourage others to have interaction in this type of dangerous exercise, whether or not in-person or on-line. If social media algorithms push this content material your method, don’t prefer it — report it because the hazard that it’s. And in case you are a trainer, speak to your college students about staying protected and staying alive.
I used to be younger in New York Metropolis, and I perceive the pressures and temptations of being an adolescent. However I need each younger individual to consider what driving on high of trains actually means: the potential of demise. Don’t take into consideration the likes and clicks; take into consideration your loved ones, in grief, fascinated about the life you by no means bought to dwell.
Keep protected, New Yorkers. And don’t, below any circumstances, trip on high of trains.
