hit by cars

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Montreal West is promising action after two teens were hit by cars on Westminster while crossing the street during morning and afternoon rush hours in a nine-day period. Councillor Lauren Small-Pennefather, who presided over the recent council meeting, addressed a nearly full house of concerned residents.

NDG resident Charlie Shein, 14, had been hit on his side at the crosswalk at Westminster and Ainslie on Oct. 28, in the morning on his way to Royal West Academy. That same week, Percival resident Nick Giannias warned council that the view of pedestrians is blocked when there is traffic on Westminster heading north, creating a danger. Mayor Beny Masella said at the time that the area is being studied, because of two accidents at the rail crossing, including a 70-year-old man who died days after being struck by a train.

Then, on Nov. 6, CSL resident Khayyam Cesar-Mohammed, 17, was crossing at the Westminster and Broughton crosswalk when a motorist ran over his foot at around 5 p.m. The meeting heard that first responders had a hard time getting to the scene because of traffic.

“I started crossing, the first car in the closest lane to the sidewalk stopped,” he told The Suburban. “I clicked the button that signals a pedestrian is crossing, and the car that was in the middle lane didn’t seem to stop. My foot got run over — I was in a bit of shock. A lot of people came, someone brought some ice. For the next couple of days, I had lots of difficulty walking. I’m better now.”

The student added that something has to be done to prevent more incidents.

“What’s important is this doesn’t happen to somebody else. There was no ticketing, no fine. There needs to be consequences. Also, the pedestrian needs to be visible, to be noticed. If I was one step ahead, I could have been completely taken out. It could have been much worse. A solution has to be found for everybody.”

Small-Pennefather said Westminster will have to be reconfigured and that accident and potential accident factors include sun glare, driver frustration because of heavy traffic and driver misbehaviour — she said one driver claimed to her that stopping at crosswalks in Quebec when people are crossing is an option. Small-Pennefather added that other needed actions include signage “and continuing to sensitize people in the area.

At the council meeting, in relation to changes in the Westminster area, there was a document with a proposed bylaw for a new left turn ban, from Sherbrooke heading west onto Westminster heading south. n