Funded Projects

Anti-Subway Surfing Campaign

Project Year

2025

City & State

Elmhurst, New York

Program Name

CATCH Planning

Topic

Injury & Violence (LHI)

Program Description

Problem “Subway surfing” refers to the act of riding on top of a subway car while it is in motion. The activity has regained popularity in recent years amongst adolescents, in large part due to social media challenges and is a public health crisis in Queens.  In 2023 alone, there were five surfing- related deaths, compared to five adolescent deaths over a 4 year period, from  2018 and 2022. In 2024, there were six subway surfing fatalities of black and brown youths between the ages of 11-15. While exact data are not available, riding outside of subway cars has increased 200% over 2 years, with the MTA reports that through September 2024, 2,556 people rode outside of train cars, up from 928 in 2022. In the absence of appropriate prevention measures, apprehended subway surfers have been aged 9 to 33 years old, with an average of 14 years old. Please see the following CNN article and video which shows video of the act of subway surfing: https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/02/us/nyc-subway-surfing-teen-deaths.  Primary Setting Newtown High School, local community centers, and the Elmhurst Hospital pediatric outpatient clinic (general pediatrics and adolescent).   Number of Children Affected We anticipate reaching 20-40 adolescents as we run focus groups and community events.   Project Goals - Understand the root motivations for subway surfing among adolescents - Understand solutions to the problem of subway surfing from the adolescent perspective - Identify and engage key community stakeholders in prevention efforts - Develop prevention programs for adolescents - Empower local youth to be leaders in developing and implementing these programs  Proposed Intervention - Conduct a series of 4 focus groups with 5-10 adolescents in each group to identify the underlying motivations, perceptions, and cultural factors contributing to subway surfing. - Organize community outreach initiatives to engage adolescents, parents, educators, local organizations, and policymakers in conversations about the dangers of subway surfing and to raise awareness about the project - Collaborate with transit authorities, law enforcement, non-profit groups, and youth advocacy groups to engage in discussions about subway surfing. - Evaluate current educational materials, campaigns, and programs focused on the dangers of subway surfing. Use focus groups to help evaluate current materials and develop digital media informed by youth. - Identify opportunities for peer-to-peer education and the involvement of local youth leaders in disseminating safety messages within schools and community centers. - Based on focus group findings and stakeholder input, develop a strategic action plan outlining potential interventions, educational programs, and policy recommendations to address subway surfing. Empower youth to become advocates in this process.  Anticipated Outcomes Following the series of focus groups, we anticipate having an improved understanding of adolescents’ motivations for and perceptions that contribute to the act of subway surfing. Based on this improved understanding, we can work with community partners, policy makers, and local adolescents to develop educational materials and campaigns focused on the dangers of subway surfing. We will partner with local youth to empower them to act as leaders and advocates against subway surfing.  

Project Goal

The goal of our project is to reduce subway surfing and improve the overall safety and well-being of children and adolescents in Elmhurst, Queens, by increasing awareness of its dangers and empowering local youth to lead efforts against this risky behavior.  

Project Objective 1

Over the course of three months, conduct four focus groups with a total of 20-40 adolescents in order to gather insights on key motivations for subway surfing. These sessions will ensure diverse representation from local youth, aiming to identify at least three key factors contributing to this behavior in order to gather insights for developing a tailored educational campaign.

Project Objective 2

By September 2025, recruit and begin to train 10–15 youth peer leaders from local schools and community centers, with a focus on empowering underrepresented voices. Over the course of the year, we will teach peer leaders the skills and knowledge needed for them to advocate against subway surfing and co-develop strategies informed by their lived experiences in the community.

Project Objective 3

By June 2026, collaborate with community stakeholders, including adolescents, parents, and local organizations, to create a strategic action plan. This plan will outline at least three culturally relevant prevention strategies driven by adolescents and  tailored to the needs of the Elmhurst community, including educational materials and a social media campaign. 

AAP District

District II

Institutional Name

Elmhurst Hospital

Contact 1

Megan Khariton, DO, MSED