New Yorkers Will Die Because the Assembly Failed To Act: Statement From Families for Safe Streets on State Assembly Refusing to Pass Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act, Including Sammy’s Law

Cohen: When the legislature reconvenes this summer, the Assembly must advance this legislation

NEW YORK - After the NYS Assembly adjourns without passing Sammy’s Law or other key provisions of the Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act and as traffic fatalities in New York City continue to skyrocket, Families for Safe Streets Co-Founder Amy Cohen, mother of Sammy Cohen Eckstein who was killed by a reckless driver in Brooklyn in 2013, released the following statement: 

“New Yorkers will die because the State Assembly failed to act.”

“We are outraged that the Assembly adjourned without passing Sammy’s Law and the full Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act this session. Traffic deaths are skyrocketing statewide. The Senate overwhelmingly approved Sammy’s Law 58-5. The Assembly should be taking action. Instead they turned a blind eye to this public health crisis. They should be ashamed.”

“We are especially outraged that the Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, Bill Magnarelli of Syracuse, did not advance any of these measures through his committee. Sammy’s Law, for example, would repeal the state provision that forbids New York City from setting speed limits below 25 miles per hour. It defies logic that an Assemblyman from Syracuse can withhold life-saving Vision Zero tools from the City of New York. It is a devastating blow for families like mine who have lost loved ones to preventable traffic violence. All we want is for elected officials to take the necessary steps to prevent our heartbreak from befalling others. The State Assembly failed New Yorkers.”

“We are grateful to the NYS Senate for understanding the urgency of our traffic violence crisis and advancing four bills in the Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act (S6202, S1078A, S4529, and S524A) including Sammy’s Law. Thank you to Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Transportation Chair Kennedy, and Senators Gounardes, Harckham, and Hoylman for your leadership on these life-saving measures. We only wish that the Assembly did their part and advanced even just one of these bills.” 

“We cannot wait until next year for action on traffic safety measures. When the legislature reconvenes this summer, the Assembly must advance this legislation. Lives are at stake and New Yorkers demand action now.” 

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