Dangerous roads in Quebec: more and more pedestrians injured

Fewer motorists and cyclists die on our roads every year. However, more and more of the most vulnerable users, pedestrians, are losing their lives.

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“We often hear about Montreal because there are more people and therefore a concentration of collisions. But the danger for pedestrians is everywhere where there is heavy motorized traffic, ”insists Jeanne Robin, co-spokesperson for Piéton Québec.

Pedestrian injuries are also more serious. “It’s very worrying,” adds M^me Robin. One possible explanation is the increase in the number of SUVs on our roads.

“The SUV hits pedestrians in the chest and abdomen where there are vital organs, while cars hit more in the legs,” explains the spokesperson.

• Listen to Annabelle Blais’ interview with Alexandre Dubé on QUB radio

Another explanation is the aging of the population, and therefore there are more vulnerable elderly people on the move.

“They represent more than half of pedestrians killed on the roads each year. This highlights the fact that our facilities are not made to protect elderly pedestrians. They don’t have time to cross, they walk slower, ”she illustrates.

In Quebec City, pedestrians must wait for an exclusive traffic light to cross. This system may suggest that they are better protected. But is this the case?

“It’s quite controversial, because it comes at the expense of mobility and particularly that of pedestrians,” says Robin. Typically, a pedestrian-only phase takes up less than 15% of the time. This means that 85% of the time the pedestrian is immobilized. “

The perverse effect is that the pedestrian ends up getting impatient and crosses at an unexpected time. The motorist also tends to believe that he has priority in places where there is no light exclusively for pedestrians.

“It does not promote good cohabitation. It is a measure adapted to specific environments such as schools. But we can’t put that in place everywhere ”, believes M^me Robin.

Last year, the City of Montreal announced for its part that the time for pedestrian lights would be increased from four to six seconds in several at-risk sectors.

THE 10 CITIES WITH THE MOST PEDESTRIAN KILLED OR INJURED BETWEEN 2014 AND 2019

1- Montreal (1.8 million inhabitants)

• 6,419 accidents (increasing trend)
• 96 dead pedestrians
• 6,579 injured including 513 serious

2- Quebec (547,000 inhabitants)

• 946 accidents (downward trend)
• 22 dead pedestrians
• 966 injured including 136 serious

3- Laval (440,000 inhabitants)

• 857 accidents (increasing trend)
• 13 dead pedestrians
• 880 injured including 61 serious

4- Longueuil (249,000 inhabitants)

• 590 accidents (increasing trend)
• 4 deceased pedestrians
• 608 injured including 43 serious

5- Gatineau (287,000 inhabitants)

• 520 accidents (slightly lower)
• 16 deceased pedestrians
• 527 injured including 36 serious

6- Trois-Rivières (138,000 inhabitants)

• 266 accidents (increasing trend)
• 8 deceased pedestrians
• 270 injured including 17 serious

7- Saguenay (147,000 inhabitants)

• 232 accidents (increasing trend)
• 5 deceased pedestrians
• 233 injured including 26 serious

8- Sherbrooke (169,000 inhabitants)

• 216 accidents (increasing trend)
• 2 deceased pedestrians
• 223 injured including 24 serious

9- Saint-Jérôme (79,000 inhabitants)

• 212 accidents (slightly lower)
• No deaths
• 215 injured including 21 serious

10- Levis (147,000 inhabitants)

• 175 accidents (slightly lower)
• 5 deceased pedestrians
• 174 injured including 19 serious

THE 10 CITIES WITH THE HIGHEST CYCLISTS KILLED OR INJURED BETWEEN 2014 AND 2019

1- Montreal

• 3,750 accidents (downward trend)
• 15 deceased cyclists
• 3,755 injured including 151 serious

2- Quebec

• 718 accidents (downward trend)
• 2 deceased cyclists
• 720 injured including 42 serious

3- Longueuil

• 407 accidents (downward trend)
• 2 deceased cyclists
• 407 injured including 15 serious

4- Laval

• 374 accidents (downward trend)
• 1 deceased cyclist
• 374 injured including 17 serious

5- Gatineau

• 373 accidents (downward trend)
• 1 deceased cyclist
• 373 injured including 14 serious

6- Trois-Rivières

• 181 accidents (downward trend)
• No deceased cyclist
• 182 injured including 15 serious

7- Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu

• 142 accidents (downward trend)
• No deceased cyclist
• 142 injured including 6 serious

8- Levis

• 125 accidents (increasing trend)
• No deceased cyclist
• 125 injured including 11 serious

9- Drummondville

• 125 accidents (downward trend)
• No deceased cyclist
• 126 injured including 6 serious

10- Saint-Jérôme

• 119 accidents (downward trend)
• No deceased cyclist
• 119 injured including 10 serious