Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
WEKU
WEKU
Business
Dustin Jones

NYC officials are trying to stop the deadly social media trend of 'subway surfing'

A screenshot from a video uploaded to TikTok by @big.ebk, which has since been removed, shows subway surfers in New York City. Four teens have died performing the dangerous stunt in the city this year. (@big.ebk/TikTok/Screenshot by NPR)

Officials in New York City are trying to put a stop to people climbing aboard the roof of moving subway cars, also known as "subway surfing," amid a rise in accidental deaths. They've repeatedly asked social media companies to take down videos of the stunts to discourage future incidents.

New York Police Department Chief of Transit Michael Kemper noted the rise in deaths during a public safety briefing last month. He said four teens died in the first six months of 2023, with two more seriously injured. By comparison, there were five suspected subway surfing fatalities between 2018 and 2022, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) spokesperson Michael Cortez.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.