A mother and her child were struck by a car outside Seth Boyden School on Wednesday, September 3, after school. The victims were not critically injured but are recovering from bruises, sprains and stitches.
“We were hit at the intersection of Tuscan and Boyden,” said Nicole Abernathy, who also reported that a crossing guard was not present although it was 3:50 p.m. — “just 20 minutes after dismissal and the traffic was incredibly chaotic as it frequently seems to be.”
Per the Maplewood Police website a crossing guard should be stationed at the intersection until 4 p.m. on school days.
“The car struck myself and then my son. He is thankfully okay, but very shaken up,” Abernathy added. “I took on most of the injuries including bruised and sprained bones, stitches, and a number of bruises on my leg from the initial hit. The driver ran both tires over us. I am okay, but certainly recovering.”
Another parent, Nina Essel, reported that Maplewood Police and EMT services responded to the incident with multiple vehicles. Seth Boyden Principal Shannon Glander “was also on scene and very supportive of family.” Essel said that Seth Boyden parents are now organizing to send emails and attend the next Maplewood Public Safety Committee meeting on Wednesday, September 10 (the meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. and is virtual).
Village Green has reached out to Maplewood police and officials for more information and comments and will update the story when they respond.
Essel noted, “This has been an ongoing issue for as long as I’ve been an Seth Boyden parent.” In an email to the Township Committee and Police Chief Albert Sally, Essel wrote, “This child’s second day of kindergarten should have been about walking to Honey and Hive for ice cream. Instead he spent the evening in the hospital with his mother.”
“The traffic surrounding Seth Boyden is dangerous and we require a more significant police presence immediately to ensure everyone’s safety.” Essel also reported that a solar-powered LED crossing sign at the intersection was not working.
Additionally, she said, “I was just told by a parent there was no crossing guard at Tuscan and Boyden yesterday at 8:30 a.m. — the day after the accident. School starts at 8:53 a.m.”
Said Abernathy, “It’s hard to express how deeply I feel that improvements need to be made.” She shared that she works a full-time job and has three additional children who “thankfully they were not present as they are all very young.”
In 2022, the Township of Maplewood began to implement a series of changes to the intersection to improve visibility and safety. A crosswalk was moved to the side of the street that is closer to the school, along with the curb ramps and solar-powered LED crossing signs. Some parking spaces on the west side of Boyden Avenue were also removed.
Related: Maplewood Plans to Improve Pedestrian Safety at Tuscan Road & Boyden Ave
Last October, after two Maplewood Middle School students were struck on Prospect Street at the Elmwood/Oakland intersection, parents took to the public safety committee meeting to demand improvements, including adding a crossing guard. Ultimately, flex posts or bollards were permanently added to the intersection. The girls have recovered, although one suffered seriously injuries requiring multiple surgeries.
