New York City officials including Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority recently launched the “Subway Surfing Kills – Ride Inside, Stay Alive” campaign, a comprehensive initiative aimed at educating young New Yorkers about the dangers of subway surfing.

In collaboration with the New York City Department of Education, the New York City Police Department and the Department of Youth and Community Development, the campaign prioritizes youth voices, showcasing messages created by teenagers directed at their peers.

Mayor Adams emphasized the urgency of the campaign, stating, “Each subway surfing death tragically strips young New Yorkers of promising futures.”

The NYPD has ramped up enforcement, conducting home visits and deploying officers to outdoor stations, while the MTA documented more than 450 instances of subway surfing in the first half of 2023.

As part of a broader strategy, this campaign aims not only to inform but also to inspire a cultural shift among young people regarding the dangers of subway surfing.

At the elevated subway platform at 111th Street in Corona, Queens, a stark reminder echoes through the MTA speakers: “Don’t lose your life. Ride inside, stay alive.”

Despite this warning, the thrill-seeking behavior persists among some young New Yorkers.

Just hours after an an incident in which a 13-year-old girl died and another was critically injured while subway surfing, nearby construction workers reported seeing young people engaging in the same reckless behavior, raising questions about the effectiveness of safety campaigns and the influence of social media on youth.

The girl’s death marks the sixth fatality associated with subway surfing in NYC this year, according to transit officials.

The tragedy came just four days after the subway surfing death of a 13-year-old boy in Queens.

Miguel Degante, a 17-year-old whose cousin was killed in a subway surfing incident in 2022, commented on the influence of social media in encouraging such behavior.

“They were just really following what the internet was showing,” he said, reflecting the alarming trend in which online content glamorizes risky activities and amasses millions of views.

In a statement, Adams expressed sorrow over the continued trend of subway surfing and its deadly consequences.

He called for collective action from New Yorkers and social media platforms to address this alarming issue.

“No post is worth your future,” he said.

The consequences of subway surfing serve as a grim reminder of the need for vigilance on safety.

Through the “Subway Surfing Kills – Ride Inside, Stay Alive” campaign, officials hope to spread awareness and change perceptions around this risky behavior.