MONTREAL – Slick streets may have led to an early morning collision where a 73-year-old man was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
He was struck by a car while crossing Avon Street in Montreal West.
The driver, a man in his 50s, was not injured.
Police say speed and alcohol were not factors.
“One of the major factors was the darkness this morning,” said Jean-Pierre Brabant, spokesperson for the Montreal Police. “It was very dark at seven so the driver who was in his 50s told police officers that he didn’t see the pedestrian crossing.”
This area has seen an increase in traffic with the recent closure of the Angrignon overpass.
READ MORE: SPVM ramps up pedestrian safety campaign after 9 fatal accidents
It’s a place where train commuters, cars, cyclists and students all meet.
Royal West high school is only steps away and parents are worried for their children’s safety.
“My daughter comes over here twice a day, morning and night but also at lunchtime. I can’t imagine what’s going to happen when I’m not around if she’s going to a restaurant with friends and you have these rage drivers because of all the traffic,” said Ilan Toledano, whose daughter is in Grade 8.
Officers were on scene Thursday morning directing traffic.
Avon between Westminster and Brock South was closed for a number of hours for the police investigation.
The department wants to remind drivers that as morning temperatures drop, risks for accidents like this go up.
“We’re reminding everyone around the sector and even the island of Montreal to be careful especially in the morning,” said Brabant. “We have a lot of police officers on site that are redirecting traffic. They have lights on them they have vests but in the morning there’s always distractions so be careful.”
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