Statements From Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets on Sammy’s Law Implementation, First-Ever Map of Streets Eligible for Speed Limit Reductions

Sammy’s Law gave New York City the ability to implement slower, safer speeds on the vast majority of streets in the five boroughs. Today’s announcement will lower speed limits directly around schools. 

In just the past 30 days, community boards representing over 650,000 New Yorkers have passed resolutions demanding Sammy’s Law speed reductions. 

Since Sammy’s Law passed on May 9, 2024, 409 New Yorkers have been killed in car crashes. In 2025, 656 New Yorkers were killed or seriously injured within 500 ft of a school.

NEW YORK – This afternoon, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn announced the City will be implementing Sammy’s Law on the blocks directly in front of city schools. Sammy’s Law — named for Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a 12-year-old boy who was killed by a reckless driver just outside his Brooklyn home in 2013 — allows New York City to finally control its own speed limits. The law passed in 2024, but the Adams administration only ever implemented slower, safer speeds on less than 2% of eligible streets. 

New Yorkers are demanding slower, safer speeds, and community boards across the city are calling for Sammy’s Law slow zones within their borders. Five community boards — representing over 650,000 New Yorkers — have passed resolutions demanding the law’s implementation. Sammy’s Law has already been implemented in the entirety of Manhattan’s Community Board 1. 

Statement from Ben Furnas, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives: 

“After years of hard work, Sammy’s Law will be implemented directly in front of schools in New York City. Slower speeds save lives, and Sammy’s Law can save countless lives across the five boroughs. This is a critical first step towards safety, and we'll keep fighting for the safe streets all New Yorkers deserve. 

“We are proud and humbled to have fought alongside some of the strongest New Yorkers, members of Families for Safe Streets — New York City will be safer because of you. Sammy’s Law only works where it’s implemented, and we will join communities across the city fighting for full neighborhood and slow zone implementations to keep New Yorkers safe.”

Statement from Amy Cohen, the Founder & President of Families for Safe Streets: 

“Sammy’s Law will save lives wherever it is implemented. In 2013, my 12-year-old son Sammy was struck and killed by a speeding driver in Brooklyn, and ever since, I’ve been fighting for safer speeds on our streets. Thank you to every member of Families for Safe Streets that fought for this, every elected official that stood with us, and every coalition partner that joined us through a long battle — today would not have happened without each and every one of you. 

“We’re excited that the Mamdani administration is beginning to implement Sammy’s Law, and we eagerly await their plan for an even wider implementation.” 

Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets are also releasing the first-ever map of streets where New York City could implement slower and safer speeds. The City of New York has not released a public map or list of every street eligible for Sammy’s Law speed reductions. In all of New York City, after today’s announcement, most streets will still have speed limits of 25 mph — despite 20 mph being the gold standard speed limit for dense urban areas. In London, 20 mph speed limits led to a 35% reduction in total collisions, 25% reduction in serious and fatal collisions, and a 75% reduction in child fatalities.