Open Letter to Mayor Bill De Blasio From State Sen. Ruben Diaz

OPEN LETTER TO MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO FROM STATE SEN. RUBEN DIAZ

February 24, 2014

Mayor Bill De Blasio

City Hall

New York, New York 10007

Dear Mayor De Blasio:

As part of your initiative for greater traffic safety in New York City, I respectfully request your public support for “The Amar Diarrassouba Life-Saving Truck Guard Law” that I introduced in the State Senate last year. Senate Bill 4326 will require the use of rear wheel guards on certain vehicles, and if this bill is signed into law, it could help prevent at least 10 children a year from being crushed by trucks each year. Two former DOT Commissioners, Christopher Lynn, Esq. and Sam Schwartz (“Gridlock Sam”) assisted in the drafting of this bill, and believe it will be a "life-saver."

The need for this legislation became painfully obvious after the tragic death of 6-year old Amar Diarrassouba, who was fatally struck and killed by a truck on February 28, 2013 at the intersection of 117th Street and 1st Avenue in East Harlem, while walking to school with his older brother.

Ten Months after I introduced the Amar Diarrassouba Life-Saving Truck Guard Law in the State Senate, 8-year old Noshat Nahian died after he was side-swiped by a big rig and caught under the rear wheels while racing to school with his older sister on Northern Boulevard and 61st Street in Woodside. After learning about Noshat’s death, I felt extremely outraged, because this tragedy might have been avoided if my simple piece of legislation would have been passed and signed into law.

I would greatly appreciate your public and immediate support for the Amar Diarrassouba Life-Saving Truck Guard Law so it can get passed, signed into law, and help prevent some pedestrian traffic deaths. If you need more information about this bill, please contact my attorney, Christopher Lynn at (917) 385-0368.

Thank you for your attention to this serious matter, and I look forward to your earliest reply.

Respectfully,

Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz

32nd Senatorial District