Laval crosswalk ignored by motorists 'like it's not even there,' local family says
A Laval, Que. family says a crosswalk in front of their house is an accident waiting to happen and that they're afraid for their child's safety.
"It's as if it's not even there," said resident Chris Horrell, who lives near the intersection of Saint-Martin Blvd. W and Dutrisac St.
Also at that location – a crosswalk, which he says is frequently ignored by motorists who breeze through it, even as pedestrians are trying to cross. Horrell says close calls happen all the time.
Steps away, there's a bus stop where his son and his friends wait to catch transit to school. Beyond that, there’s a daycare centre.
"None of the cars stop or acknowledge that they're there trying to cross to go to the bus stop," said Laval resident Rola Chamoun.
- READ MORE: 'Pay attention': Family of struck Montreal 10 year old pleads with motorists to drive safely
According to the Highway Safety Code, drivers and cyclists must yield to pedestrians who are either in a crosswalk or have signalled their intention to cross.
While CTV News was filming on Sunday, the two crossed the street only to be narrowly missed by a black SUV driving through the intersection.
"That's not right,” said Horrell. “I'm sorry, but it's not a question of ‘if’ someone is going to get hit here ... it’s a question of ‘when.’"
He says he and Chamoun have asked the city to install a stop sign, or pedestrian-controlled lights, but that their requests have fallen on deaf ears.
Laval Mayor Stephane Boyer's office did not return CTV News' request for comment on Sunday.
The neighbourhood already had a tragedy strike back in February, 2020, when a 69-year-old woman was hit and killed by a snow removal truck while crossing at the light just one block over
Horrell and Chamoun hope that by speaking up, another tragedy can be avoided.
"Safety is an issue here," said Horrell.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Guilty: Trump becomes first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes
Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
Can Trump come to Canada now that he's a convicted felon?
A Canadian immigration lawyer says now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he is technically barred from crossing the border into Canada.
Montreal tech billionaire charged with several sex offences
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
Police: 3 killed, including suspected gunman, in Minneapolis shooting
Three people, including the suspected gunman, are dead after a shooting Thursday at a Minneapolis apartment complex, police said.
'Why didn't they stop?' Mom asks of driver in hit-and-run crash that killed son
The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run in Edmonton is begging the driver to come forward.
The northern lights are returning to night skies across Canada this Friday
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
$400K in damages for B.C. woman who had unnecessary mastectomy was 'inordinately high,' court finds
A jury's award of $400,000 to a woman who had a mastectomy after being misdiagnosed with breast cancer has been substantially reduced by B.C.'s highest court, which found the damages were "wholly disproportionate."