The City of Laval and the Laval Police are inviting motorists, pedestrians and cyclists to pay special attention while out using the sidewalks and streets, noting that a special safety campaign will be underway over the coming weeks.
According to the city, the LPD will be keeping an eye out for types of distracted behaviour that can lead to accidents, in order to help reduce the number of accidents and to encourage sharing of the roadways.
Each year, the LPD takes part in a province-wide operation to promote road security, which is conducted in conjunction with police forces across Quebec and the Société d’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).
“Safety on the streets, on bicycle paths and on sidewalks is a constant preoccupation of the population,” says Mayor Marc Demers. It must depend on a clear sharing of responsibilities between motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. Therefore, the city invites users of the streets to cooperate and to show civic responsibility so that everyone can feel safe, but especially our little ones.”
The campaign has as its first objective to raise awareness among parents that they should adopt safe driving habits around schools and when they drop their children off there. During the campaign period, officers with the LPD will be out watching around schools very closely and will issue tickets to those found to have broken Highway Code rules.
A few facts regarding traffic calming measures implemented in recent years by the City of Laval:
- In all, 157 sidewalks protrusions (121 in concrete, 36 painted) have been installed;
- 81 interventions have been made at primary schools, at 27 pedestrian crossings and at 42 crossings with crossing guards;
- The city closed two streets permanently;
- with priority given to areas near parks;
- As a result of citizen requests, 41 interventions for traffic calming were carried out.
Four arsons on Dagenais Blvd., including one at a Buddhist temple
Police in Laval are investigating four arsons that took place overnight on Sept. 29-29 on Dagenais Blvd. West, including one at a Buddhist temple that happened while clergy were there.
A fourth fire that police believe was intentionally set happened at 11:37 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Société bouddhique Laotienne at 3381 Dagenais Boul. West. The side door was burned as well as a chair that was outside the building.
Five monks were inside the temple when the perpetrator set fire to the door, according to one of the monks. He told media that he was concerned about the incident, but that unfortunately the security camera they had installed on the property stopped working.
He said it was the first time an incident like this had happened and he wondered why their building was attacked. An LPD spokesperson said the perpetrators set fire to two dumpsters at two different addresses and burned a tire at a third location. All were in the same area of Dagenais Blvd. West and within a time-frame of about an hour, beginning at 10:24 p.m. Sept. 28.
