New York Governor Ho Chu announced on April 18 that the budget proposal for the new fiscal year will include the passage of “Sammy’s Law,” allowing New York City to reduce the speed limit on streets from 25 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour.
This legislation is named in memory of Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a boy who tragically lost his life in a car accident in Park Slope in 2013. Sammy, aged only 12, was struck by an overspeeding van near his home in Brooklyn. In the years since, Sammy’s mother, Amy Cohen, along with a group of parents who have lost children in accidents, have been advocating for this law to prevent such tragedies. Governor Ho Chu stated that the budget proposal will be signed into law in the presence of Sammy’s family.
The bill was jointly proposed by State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal and State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, authorizing New York City to legislate for most streets in the city to have a default speed limit of 20 miles per hour, down from the current 25 miles per hour, with the exception of busy thoroughfares or single-lane roads with three or more lanes.
During former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s term, the city successfully lobbied the state council to reduce the speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour. According to research by the American Automobile Association (AAA), pedestrians struck by cars traveling at 23 miles per hour face a 10% risk of death. By reducing the speed limit by an additional 5 miles per hour, the chances of survival for pedestrians involved in accidents are increased. Liz Garcia, spokesperson for Mayor Adams, expressed strong support for “Sammy’s Law,” emphasizing the importance of street safety.
Although the New York City Department of Transportation noted that in 2023, the number of pedestrian fatalities from accidents was 102, the lowest figure since 2020 excluding the pandemic year. However, this year, there have already been 33 pedestrian fatalities due to accidents, including many children. According to statistics from the street safety advocacy group Transport Alternatives, over 100 children have been fatally struck by vehicles in New York City since 2013.