“An unconscionable tragedy that Albany can stop from happening again”: Statement from Transportation Alternatives

The super speeder killed a mother and her two daughters ages six and eight. A four-year-old boy was also taken to the hospital. 

The super speeder was driving on a suspended license, and her vehicle has racked up more than 90 tickets.

BROOKLYN, NY — This afternoon, a super speeder driver hit and killed a mother and her two young daughters in Gravesend, Brooklyn. The driver, Mariam Yarimi, was driving while on a suspended license, and the Audi she was driving has more than 90 tickets, including more than 13 school zone speeding tickets last year.”

There is legislation in Albany that would require speed limiters to be installed on vehicles of the most reckless repeat speeders, including on cars such as the one driven by Yarimi, which would automatically limit their vehicles to within 5 mph of the legal speed of the road. According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, 75% of drivers with suspended licenses drive anyway. 

Statement from Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Ben Furnas:

"We are heartbroken and angry that a reckless super speeder has hit and killed three New Yorkers today. As neighbors exited synagogue on the nicest day of the year, they watched as a crash killed two children and their mother, leaving children’s clothes and shoes strewn across the street from a flipped car.

“This is an unconscionable tragedy that Albany can stop from ever happening again. The status quo allows super-speeders to continue to put all our lives in danger, but it doesn’t have to be this way. There is legislation up in Albany that would require speed limiters in the vehicles of New York’s most reckless super speeders – legislation that would have required a speed limiter in this very car. Time and time again, we see that suspending licenses alone has limited effect – but finally and actually slowing down reckless speeders can save lives. We need to pass Speed Limiters for Repeat Offenders now.”

Statement from Fabiola Mendieta-Cuapio, the Co-Chair of Families for Safe Streets New York:

“Today is the worst day in their lives for a family and a community in Brooklyn. I lost my 5-year-old son to a traffic crash in 2006, and since then have dedicated myself to ensuring fewer families and fewer mothers have to know my suffering. 

“These children and their mother should still be alive today. We know repeat super speeders are deadly, yet there are cars on our streets with dozens or even hundreds of tickets. We have to ensure that everyone is driving the speed limit, and we can finally do this by passing Speed Limiters for Repeat Offenders. Albany can slow down the very fastest, and in doing so help more children make it home safely. We can’t wait until, God forbid, the next child is killed.”

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