Subway surfers keep dying why arent copycats deterred? Parents, teens, psychologists weigh in

Subway surfers are dying right and left, with videos of their gruesome deaths circulating on the internet.Yet, somehow, copycats are undeterred.In fact, some feel the deadly reminders add to the thrill for clout chasing kids desperate for TikTok stardom.“Some surfers plainly do it because they just wanna go viral,” Rey, a 17-year-old from the Bronx, told The Post.The latest senseless fatality happened May 22, when two teens fell from a J train crossing the Williamsburg Bridge in front of oncoming traffic — horrifically caught on camera by a motorist.A 14-year-old, Akhi Butler, was killed instantly and an 18-year-old was transported to the hospital in critical condition in that incident. Two girls, one just 13-years-old, died subway surfing the same stretch in October last year.Riding outside of subway cars has increased 200% over two years, according to MTA data, largely fueled by social media videos.

In 2024, seven people died while subway surfing.Five more total died in 2025.Clinical psychologist Holly Schiff pointed out locations like the Williamsburg Bridge are popular “because they’re visually dramatic.”“The skyline views, the height, the openness, it kind of creates almost a cinematic feeling [that’s] appealing for videos and social media content,” she said.It’s also one of the longest points between two stations — between Delancey Street/Essex Street station in Manhattan to Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn — which is overground and offers views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn.Still, the view is the same for those sitting inside the train car or walking the bridge’s pedestrian crossing, both of which have no risk of electrocution from the third rail, being swiped from atop the subway car by a low hanging bar or a person losing their footing and suffering horrific blunt force trauma.Isa Islam, who lost his eyesight in 2013 from subway surfing as a teen, said the appeal for him was the adrenaline rush.“My intentions to get an adrenaline rus...