Florence* was traveling with a relative on President Kennedy’s route the day her life changed.
At Avenue des Ruisseaux, it awaits the pedestrian crossing to cross President Kennedy Road. This is made up of two southbound lanes, two northbound lanes and a left turn lane on the north approach.
A median is installed between the north and south lanes. When they want to cross the road, pedestrians and cyclists must stop there, activate the pedestrian light, and wait to complete their journey.
After the first half of their crossing, Florence and her loved one did not stop at the median. “Thinking they had priority to complete their passage east, the two did not stop,” explains coroner Dr Jean-Marc Picard.
Florence continues in the left lane heading north. She is hit head-on by a motorist.
The latter did not commit an offense, according to the coroner. “The vehicle involved was traveling at a normal speed. The traffic lights for northbound vehicles on President Kennedy Road were green and the two young cyclists crossed the road from west to east without waiting for the signal [feu de piéton] allowing them to do so,” relates Dr. Picard.
108 days in hospital
During her accident, Florence did not die instantly. The teenager spent 108 days in hospital treating severe brain trauma and numerous fractures.
After her discharge from the hospital, the teenager still suffered major after-effects which required daily treatment. She was admitted to the Physical Impairment Rehabilitation Institute of Quebec on August 30, 2023.
Less than a week later, Florence was found unconscious, lying in her bed. Despite resuscitation maneuvers and transport to hospital, he was pronounced dead on September 5.
“It is clear that the accident of May 13 was the trigger for the deterioration of the physical and psychological state of [Florence]», writes the coroner.
A single pedestrian crossing
Dr. Jean-Marc-Picard concludes that the intersection of Avenue des Ruisseaux and Route du Président Kennedy is dangerous.
To correct the situation, Dr. Picard recommends changing the phasing of pedestrian lights so that there is sufficient time to completely cross both roadways in one go.
“This modification would eliminate waiting in the center of the roadway and prevent someone from crossing the second roadway thinking they have priority when that is not the case,” said Mr. Picard.
The coroner also suggests rearranging the ends of the cycle path and the sidewalk so that the crossing is as perpendicular as possible. This would reduce the crossing time. He also proposes adding signs to remind cyclists to cross during the pedestrian phase.
“The aim of these modifications is to find a balance between the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and the fluidity of vehicles. We must not overly prioritize the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in this type of environment,” specifies the coroner.
*Fictitious first name: As the victim is a minor, the coroner is not disclosing her identity.
