Parents call for crossing guards after students hit by car in Montreal West

Two children, aged 12 and 13 years old, are in hospital with minor injuries after being hit by a car in Montreal West on Monday morning.

Montreal police (SPVM) received a 911 call at 7:50 a.m. about the incident on Westminster Avenue South and Ainslie Road.

“According to the first information we have, the 36-year-old driver of the vehicle was circulating south on Westminster [Avenue],” said Florence Stafford, a spokesperson with Montreal police. “She had an obligatory stop, which she did, and the incident occurred as she was taking off.”

The children were taken to hospital as a preventative measure to be treated for injuries described as “minor.”

“There were no serious injuries,” confirmed Stafford.

She notes that police have no reason to believe that a criminal element was involved in the incident.

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Calls for crossing guards, more safety

Just before noon, Royal West Academy Principal David Lee sent a letter to parents informing them of the collision.

“Luckily, the students were not seriously injured, but the incident underscored the fact that we need to act with increased vigilance to ensure that all of our students can travel to school safely,” he stated.

Lee emphasized that around 400 students from the school cross that intersection every day.

“It is an extremely busy intersection during rush hour, and the danger is compounded by the fact that it is less than 200 metres away from a level train crossing,” he wrote.

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is calling on parents to sign a petition at Quebec’s National Assembly to install crossing guards at high schools.

“We, the undersigned, ask the Quebec government to take immediate action to make high schools eligible for a crossing-guard, should they meet all other current criteria, to ensure the safety of all high school student-pedestrians,” the petition reads.

As of Monday, more than 2,500 people have signed it.

It’s an issue parents in the neighbourhood have been calling attention to since November 2024, when a 14-year-old student was struck crossing Westminster Avenue.

Though he was not seriously injured, the collision raised concerns among parents.

Monday morning’s collision magnified those concerns.

“My heart skipped a little beat. You just always worry there’s going to be a tragedy,” said parent and Montreal West resident Joanna Duy. “It’s very frustrating.”

Duy is one of the parents pushing for the Quebec government to make changes to allow for crossing guards near some high schools.

“Currently, kids aged 12 and older are considered adults for the purpose of crossing the street, and we just think that’s too young. We really do feel a crossing guard would be helpful at this particular intersection,” she said.

“They’re crossing a four-lane street with no stoplight, and there’s a lot of traffic in the morning – and the cars just don’t always stop, so we really feel that there should be exceptions for high schools that are located in particularly dangerous areas.”

With files from CTV News’ Rob Lurie