Mayor seeks better safety measures for cyclists after latest Montreal accident

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderrecalledfor changes to the Quebec Highway Safety Code aftera collision left an 18-year-old cyclistin critical condition on Friday.

The cyclistwas struckby a delivery truck onBerriStreet before 10 a.m. He appears to have fallen off his bike as he was braking.

The collision comes only a few days after JustineCharlandSt-Amour, 24,was killed when she was struck by a dumptruckwhile cycling in Rosemont.

Her death prompted the city hall Opposition leader, Projet Montral'sLuc Ferrandez, to accuse Coderreof failing to take measures to protect the city's cyclists.

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At a news conference on Friday afternoon,Coderresaidhe would like to see cyclists be able to cross on the pedestrian light. He also proposedimplementing photo radar in areas that are most dangerous.

"The bottom line of everything is a change of culture,"Coderresaid. "This city has changed because they use bicycles not just for leisure, but as a mode of transportation."

Montreal police have recordedtwo cyclistdeaths so far in 2016. In 2015,there were three deaths and a total of760cyclistsinjured. That's a 16.6 per cent increase over the number of cyclists injured in 2014.

• Quebec beefs up safety measures for cyclists

Montreal police Const. Andr Leclerc said the 18-year-old man who was struck Friday morningwas cycling in the southbound lane of the bike path when he fell in front of a small truck.

The truck was turning right into the parking lot of theBibliothqueet ArchivesnationalesduQubec,Leclercsaid. He said the cyclist slipped under the truck's wheels.

The cyclist was conscious when he was taken to hospital.

La Cie lectrique Britton, the company that the truck belongs to, said it is co-operating with police.

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