A Queens street was renamed on Friday in honor of a toddler whose parents have been at the forefront of the movement to end traffic deaths in New York City.
Cherry Avenue and Main Street, christened “Allison Hope Liao Way,” is where the 3-year-old girl was killed by a motorist in 2013.
“This is the spot where our daughter died, and our actions and advocacy began,” said her mother Amy Tam-Liao, 37, of Fresh Meadows. “It’s Alison’s story that people came around in the community, and helped support.”
A DMV judge tossed two tickets in under a minute during a hearing for the driver that struck Liao while she was crossing with her grandmother, but the motorist ultimately lost his license in January.
The collision was captured on a dash cam.
“This happens all the time, the difference is what happened to Ally was videotaped,” Tam-Liao added.
Liao’s parents, Hsi-Pei and Amy, became involved with a new advocacy group called Families for Safe Streets, started by relatives of those killed in crashes.
They have been heavily involved in pushing Vision Zero, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to end traffic deaths. It has included lowering the speed limit to 25 mph, seeking DMV reforms, and redesigning streets.
The Liaos’story has been featured in the film “Drive Like Your Family Lives Here,” which has been shown to cabdrivers and city workers.
“We were so public about it,” said Hsi-Pei. “We put a face to it, these traffic fatalities that happen.”
