MONTREAL -- Residents in Mile End are demanding immediate action to improve pedestrian safety in the wake of the latest collision.
A three-year-old boy remains in hospital after he was struck on Dec. 6 by an SUV as it skidded through a stop sign on St-Joseph Boulevard near Hutchison Street. The stop sign was just installed there in September, and residents say it's frequently ignored.
The boy and his father were crossing the street on their way to preschool when the incident happened; the man pulled the stroller out of the way, but the child fell out and was struck.
The boy spent three days in a coma and is still recovering in hospital. A vigil was held Sunday in his honour.
2019 marks the worst year for pedestrian deaths in over a decade. As many as 22 pedestrians have been killed so far this year, more than the number of homicides.
The community is demanding fines for infractions be raised to $300 from $100, and include three demerit points. A petition calling for the new measures have garnered over 10,000 signatures.
They are calling for better infrastructure, clearer signage and more enforcement.
"It's something that we have to do, but I just want also to tell all the automobilists that we have a responsibility," said Plateau Mont-Royal Mayor Luc Rabouin. "We cannot have a policeman at every intersection, so all the automobilists should be responsible."
