**Title: Subway Surfing Deaths Prompt Calls for Action in NYC**

NEW YORK — The tragic death of 15-year-old Ka’Von Wooden has highlighted the dangers of subway surfing in New York City. Ka’Von, who had a passion for trains and aspired to be a train operator, died in December 2022 after climbing onto the roof of a moving J train in Brooklyn. He fell onto the tracks as the train approached the Williamsburg Bridge. His death is part of a disturbing trend, with more than a dozen young New Yorkers, primarily boys, suffering fatal or serious injuries from similar incidents.

The phenomenon known as subway surfing has been around for decades but has gained popularity through social media. Recently, two girls, aged 12 and 13, were found dead after participating in what appeared to be a subway surfing game. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) President Demetrius Crichlow condemned the activity, stating, "Getting on top of a subway car isn’t ‘surfing’ — it’s suicide."

In response to the rising fatalities, authorities have launched public awareness campaigns, including one featuring Grammy Award-winning rapper Cardi B, and have deployed drones to monitor subway surfing. However, many are questioning why children like Ka’Von can still access the tops of subway cars.

Y’Vonda Maxwell, Ka’Von’s mother, expressed her frustration, saying, "When Ka’Von died ... literally two weeks later, another child died. And another one. That makes no sense. Why should my child have not been the end?"

The MTA is currently studying potential solutions to make it more difficult to climb onto trains. This includes experimenting with circular rubber tubing designed to prevent access between train cars. Crichlow noted that the equipment has been holding up during trials.

In 2022, six individuals died while subway surfing, an increase from five in 2021. Tyesha Elcock, the MTA operator on duty when Ka’Von died, believes more preventive measures are necessary. She recalled the moment she discovered Ka’Von’s body between the train's cars after the emergency brake was activated. Elcock suggested that locking the doors at the ends of subway cars could prevent access to the roofs. "Lock it when we’re in service so people can’t climb up and be on top of the train," she said.

While MTA officials are considering various engineering solutions, they have not yet implemented any significant changes. Richard Davey, the former head of buses and subways for the MTA, mentioned that locking doors between cars is being evaluated, but it poses its own risks, such as hindering escape during emergencies.

The MTA has also reached out to social media companies to remove videos that glamorize subway surfing. In June, they reported that over 1,800 such videos had been taken down. Public service announcements have been created to educate young riders about the dangers of subway surfing, with campaigns aimed at the city’s schoolchildren, many of whom rely on the subway for transportation.

The NYPD has increased its patrols of popular subway surfing routes, resulting in 229 arrests last year, up from 135 the previous year. Most of those arrested were boys, averaging around 14 years old, with the youngest being just 9.

Experts have noted that retrofitting trains to prevent access to the roofs would be costly. Branislav Dimitrijevic, an engineering professor, stated, "There’s so many stories in transportation where things can be fixed, but they cost a lot of money. And then you ask the public, ‘Are you willing to (pay) for us to fix this? But your taxes would go up tremendously.’ And people say ‘no.’"

Some cities have implemented design changes to their trains to deter climbing. For example, trains in Hong Kong and Dubai have streamlined bodies and lack external handles. In Indonesia, officials have resorted to extreme measures, such as installing hanging metal flails to deter passengers from riding on top of trains.

While the MTA has acquired a few new subway cars that do not have gaps for climbing, these cars represent only a small fraction of the fleet and will not be deployed on popular surfing lines in the near future. The ongoing issue of subway surfing continues to raise concerns about safety and the need for effective preventive measures in New York City’s transit system.