A 72-year-old woman remains in critical condition after being hit by an SUV while crossing the street in Montreal’s Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough on Saturday.
The incident happened shortly after 2 p.m. at the intersection of Henri-Bourassa Boulevard and Papineau Avenue. The victim was immediately taken to hospital where she was being treated for life-threatening injuries.
Montreal police spokesperson Const. Caroline Chèvrefils said the driver of the vehicle, a man in his 30s, may have been momentarily blinded by the sunlight while the woman was crossing the street.
READ MORE: Montreal to add pedestrian crossing signals to all traffic lights
Police say the elderly victim was crossing at the appropriate time.
There have been 19 pedestrian deaths in Montreal so far in 2019, surpassing the yearly average of 14.
According to the city, close to 60 per cent of pedestrians killed annually in the city are 65 or older.
READ MORE: There have been 19 pedestrian deaths so far in 2019, according to Montreal police
On Nov. 18, the City of Montreal unveiled a series of measures aimed at protecting vulnerable road users as the number of pedestrian deaths continues to climb.
The $58-million project will see pedestrian crossing signals with digital countdowns added to all traffic lights across the city over the next three years.
As part of the plan, an additional four to six seconds will also be added to existing pedestrian lights to give those travelling by foot extra time to clear intersections.
Montreal police say the month of November records the highest number of pedestrian collisions of the year, which they say is directly linked to the increase in darkness.
–With files from Global News’ Kalina Laframboise