Queens pols and grieving families celebrate passage of Sammy’s Law

Sammy’s Law, a bill which will allow New York City to set its own speed limits, was included in the state budget last week. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

By Ryan Schwach

Queens lawmakers, advocates and parents are breathing a sigh of relief after Sammy’s Law, a street safety measure pushed heavily by Queens electeds and families, was passed as part of the state budget over the weekend, allowing the city to determine the speed limit on its own streets.

The bill, which has been in the pipelines for several years, was called for heavily in Queens, a borough which faced the brunt of traffic violence over the last year, including the deaths of three children younger than 10-years-old.

Promoted by the mother of Sammy Eckstein Cohen, a 12-year-old who was killed by a driver in 2013, the bill will allow New York City – and other state municipalities – to set their own speed limits, rather than go by statewide regulations.

According to studies cited by elected officials, a pedestrian is four times more likely to be killed by a car going 30 miles per hour than one traveling 25 miles per hour. Additionally, slowing from 30 to 25 miles per hour reduces the chance of a fatal crash by 78 percent, and lowering speeds from 25 to 20 miles per hour has led to a 14 percent reduction in injurious crashes.

In recent months, passing Sammy’s Law had become a major goal for Queens residents and officials, after 8-year-old Bayron Palomino Arroyo, 3-year-old Quintus Chen and 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun were killed in Queens over the last year due to traffic violence.

“There are too many names,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards at a march in Corona last month. “They were beautiful children with a bright future and families who loved them. They could have gone anywhere, they could have been anything. They had dreams shattered, all because of reckless drivers.”

Queens elected officials pushed Sammy’s Law at two separate rallies in March, calling for street safety measures after recent traffic deaths. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

This week, those elected officials and advocates are applauding the bill, which many of them wanted to see made into law much earlier.

“It’s long past time we take back our streets from speeding drivers and deliver justice to grieving families like Sammy Cohen Eckstein’s and Bayron Palomino Arroyo’s,” the BP said in a statement on Tuesday. “That’s exactly what the long overdue passage of Sammy’s Law, allowing New York City to finally set its own speed limits, will help us do.”

State elected officials who championed the bill in Albany, had told the Eagle that they were ready to do it last year, but applaud the bill’s inclusion in the budget.

“I’m elated that we were able to include Sammy’s Law in the state budget,” said Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, herself a victim of traffic violence earlier this year. “As someone who has been hit by a car I know the trauma that this can cause for those of us that may be lucky to walk away from a crash.”

“But this victory is for all of the loved ones who we have lost and were not able to make it back home,” she added. “It is for Sammy and his mother, Amy Cohen, who has fought relentlessly for this moment. It is for Bayron Palomino Arroyo, a child from East Elmhurst we recently lost to traffic violence. It is for Dolma Naadhun, a child from Astoria who was killed in a crash while crossing the street with her family in Astoria.”

State Senator Jessica Ramos led a rally and march last month calling for the passage of Sammy’s Law and other safety measures in Corona following the death of Palomino Arroyo.

“Being able to come back from Albany and tell the parents in my district that we were able to get Sammy’s Law done is so meaningful,” Ramos said in a statement. “As a mother myself, I’m so relieved that this is now law. This was made possible by families who took the pain that came from incredible loss and channeled it into creating change. Now, I’m passing the baton to the city to lower the speed limits in the areas that are at high risk for children and pedestrians.”

For Queens parents who have lost children to traffic violence, Sammy’s Law’s inclusion in the budget is a dose of justice in and of itself.

“I'm extremely happy, very happy on behalf of my son,” said Raul Ampuero, who’s 9-year-old son, Giovanni, was killed by a driver in Jackson Heights in 2018.

“Things could be done differently, people don't need to die, kids don't need to die,” Ampuero said in a Monday phone call with the Eagle. “Our goal, our mission, especially myself on behalf of my son – I want people to live longer.”

Ampuero got involved with the advocacy group Families for Safe Streets following Giovanni’s death, a cause he says he probably wouldn’t have gotten into had he not had to deal with it himself.

“A lot of people think speed cameras, stop signs, so many traffic lights, or even reducing the speed limit is very traumatic for them,” he said. “And unfortunately, they don't understand because it didn't happen to them.”

Raul Ampuero, who’s 9-year-old son Giovanni was killed by a driver in Jackson Heights in 2018, said he is very happy that Sammy’s Law has finally made it over the finish line. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

Ampuero believes that Sammy’s Law is a big step in making streets safer for New Yorkers and Queens residents, calling it “common sense,” while also saying there is more that needs to be done both legislatively – like increasing the number of school crossing guards – and through education.

“[We need to] educate people how important it is to reduce the speed limit so they will be able to understand and educate people to lower your speed and also understand that this is a lethal weapon – a car will kill somebody,” he said. “We're going to be doing many, many more things with the mayor, the governor, and this is something that needs to be done in the City of New York for the sake of our kids and our families.”

“We're going to continue, this is not the end of it,” he added. “We're going to try to do many more things to minimize traffic violence.”

Outside of Albany and in Queens Criminal Court last week, similar progress was being made in holding drivers accountable.

There, a man was indicted in the March 13 crash that killed Palomino Arroyo.

Last week, 52-year-old Flushing resident, Jose Barcia was indicted on criminal charges for allegedly speeding through a crosswalk while making a left turn, killing Palomino Arroyo and injuring his 10-year-old brother.

Barcia had previously been charged in a criminal complaint on March 14 with criminally negligent homicide, failing to yield to oncoming traffic while making a left turn, disobeying speed restrictions, two counts of failing to provide the right of way to pedestrians, and two counts of failing to exercise due care.

The grand jury indictment was filed on April 18, and he will be arraigned on the indictment April 30.

“Both victims in this case, the boy who died and his brother, were with their mother crossing the street with the light in their favor in broad daylight,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said following the indictment.

“This tragedy was completely preventable, if not for the alleged recklessness of the defendant,” she added. “Obeying road safety regulations is not a choice. It is the law. And more than that, it is a personal obligation to safeguard everyone we encounter on our shared roadways. The grand jury handed up an indictment on serious charges against this defendant. I continue to send my deepest condolences to the young victims’ loved ones.”