Woodside mother Maria Sumba delivers remarks at a rally Monday morning at the intersection where her 16-year-old daughter Jael Zihnin was struck and killed and little sister injured by a hit-and-run driver in June. Photo courtesy of Families for Safe Streets
Sept. 10, 2024 By Bill Parry
A grieving Woodside mother returned to the intersection where her 16-year-old daughter was fatally struck by a hit-and-run delivery truck on the last day of school, calling for urgent city action to curb traffic violence and safeguard children after the same driver also injured her younger daughter.
Maria Sumba delivered remarks during a rally on Monday morning with elected officials and members of Families for Safe Streets at 47th Avenue and 46th Street, where Jael Zhinin and her eight-year-old sister Leslie were struck in the crosswalk by a driver who was turning south and sped away from the scene on the afternoon of June 26.
“No parent should ever face the unimaginable pain of losing their daughter to preventable traffic violence while watching their other daughter fight for her life,” Sumba said. “Words from our leaders are just not enough; we need real action to protect our children from this violence.”
Jael was pronounced dead at the scene, and Leslie was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital, where she was listed in serious condition and has since recovered. Sumba joined Council Member Julie Won, State Senator Michael Gianaris and safe streets advocates to demand the implementation of Sammy’s Law, which was signed into law in May, giving the city the power to lower speed limits to 20 miles per hour and 10 miles per hour on streets receiving safety redesigns.
“Nobody should go through what we’ve gone through,” Sumba said. “And nobody else would have to if Mayor Adams took action today to implement Sammy’s Law to lower speed limits and fully implement life-saving street redesigns the NYC Safe Streets Plan requires.”
With 14 children having already been killed this year by traffic violence, the city is on track to have the second-deadliest year for children since Vision Zero was first implemented in 2014.
“Fourteen children, including Jael Zhinin, have been killed in crashes this year; that is unacceptable,” Won said. “No one should have to bury their child because of preventable death. The City must implement universal daylighting to protect children and other pedestrians crossing the street.”
Photo of the dangerous intersection at 47th Avenue and 46th Street near I.S. 125 in Woodside. Photo courtesy of Transportation Alternatives
The intersection where the youngsters were struck is alongside I.S. 125, though the girls attended different schools in the neighborhood and were on their way home that day.
“There have been four serious injuries and one death at this intersection since 2022,” Won continued. “I will continue fighting for DOT to install the necessary traffic calming measures to prevent more deaths.”
“As we start another school year, we must reflect on the tragedy the Zhinin family has endured [since] last June,” Gianaris said. “School safety isn’t just about what happens in the school building, but also about making sure our children can travel safely to and from school. We must do more to safeguard pedestrians throughout the city, including implementing Sammy’s Law and other traffic mitigation efforts, because these are all preventable deaths.”
Advocates are also calling on state lawmakers to pass the life-saving crosswalk scramble bill in Albany. This bill stops all traffic and allows pedestrians to cross in every direction.
“Mayor Adams has the tools to end the crisis of traffic violence on our streets. Through Sammy’s Law and the NYC Streets Plan, he has a mandate to create streets that are safe for both the youngest and oldest New Yorkers,” said Elizabeth Adams, Interim Co-Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. “More than 1 million students are back in school now, and no child should have to go back to school amid such a grave threat to their safety. Mayor Adams and our city’s leaders must act now.”
The city’s Department of Transportation is making significant improvements in the area through its Safe Routes to School project around I.S. 125, which included curb expansions and pedestrian ramp upgrades along 48th Avenue at 45th Street, 46th Street and 47th Street.
“We reviewed the intersection after this tragedy and immediately opened studies to turn calming and daylighting treatments, as well as Leading Pedestrian Interval or split phase signals,” a NYC DOT Spokesperson said. “We will consider additional enhancements as we review the area.”
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