After the death of a pedestrian last spring who was struck by an STM bus, a Quebec coroner’s report says Montreal bus drivers need mandatory breaks to prevent similar incidents from taking place.
On March 4, 65-year-old Mohan Chandran was hit by the bus while attempting to cross at Edouard-Laurin and Decarie boulevards.
The coroner’s report says the bus driver did not see Chandran and didn’t immediately stop after hitting him.
Montreal police declared Chandran dead at the scene.
Human error the main culprit, but many other contributing factors
The report primarily blames human error as the cause of the collision.
However, there were additional factors at play. The pedestrian was intoxicated and was wearing dark clothes. He also failed to react to the bus approaching.
There were also defective streetlights on the northwest corner.
Even though the bus driver had taken two short breaks the day of the incident, he told investigators that he had routinely been working seven-and-a-half-hour shifts with no scheduled breaks.
Bus routes are timed so tightly that if bus drivers don’t take their breaks in increments, they risk running behind on schedule.
He told investigators that colleagues often complain of not having time to even use the restroom.
The coroner is now recommending that the STM give drivers mandatory breaks to help them be more aware and reactive.
The report also recommends that more public-awareness efforts be made to remind pedestrians to be careful when crossing intersections.