More than 400 children injured on Montreal roads in 2022: public health

Montreal public health is calling for fewer cars around schools after more than 400 children were injured on roads in the city in 2022.

It’s been more than a year since the death of seven-year-old Mariia Legenkovska, who was killed on her way to school. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante pledged at the time to make school zones safer – but public health said Thursday that the number of collisions is rising.

"That’s a major problem," said Anne Pelletier of the public health agency.

More than 430 children were injured in motor vehicle collisions in 2022. About half of them were pedestrians or cyclists, and almost 100 were injured while inside a school zone.

In total, 12 children suffered serious injuries and two died.

The solution is fewer cars around school zones, said Pelletier.

"(We need to) find ways to offer safe options for pedestrians and cyclists,” she said, “And more options for public transit."

According to public health, busy roads pose the biggest risk to children walking to school. About 25 per cent of Montreal schools are less than 100 metres from a busy road, and the risk goes up even more in poorer neighbourhoods, said Pelletier.

"There is a clear link between the number of arteries, the level of socioeconomic status of the people living there, and the risks," she said.

Plante said the city has made pedestrian safety a priority.

"We're dedicated, she said. “We have a strong political will behind this idea of making intersections safer, neighbourhoods safer. But it takes time."