The mother of a 14-year-old boy who lost part of a leg in a serious scooter accident wants to use the tragic experience to remind motorists to be careful around mopeds.
“People are so stressed, they have no respect on the road,” says Miriam Collard. The mother, a motorcyclist, received a terrifying call on April 26. Her boy, Loic, had an accident. When he arrived, his son was conscious, but his left leg was severely injured.
“I don’t remember flying back, when I was sitting, taking my luggage, full of blood, and when the ambulance came. It burned,” says Loic d’Amores.
The teenager was riding a scooter on Avenue de Salaberry in Chambly. While crossing the Route 112 intersection on a green light, he encountered a driver traveling in the opposite direction. The motorist is said to have attempted to turn left even though he had no right of way and collided head-on with the moped.
“Did his leg get stuck between the car and the scooter? We really don’t know. In the ambulance, he kept telling me: ‘My leg needs to go back to where it was before’,” recalls Miriam Collard.
Three surgeries in five days
Loïc underwent three surgeries in five days. The family hoped he would survive the five long days without too many after effects. Unfortunately, 2/3 of his left foot was amputated up to the heel.
Marie-Laurence Delaney / Agence QMI
When the QMI agency arrived at their home in Chambly, Mme Collard was changing the bandages on his son, who was in a generally good mood. “He’s very busy and well-rounded. I said his attitude will determine his recovery. Our therapy is to talk about it, we talk about it together,” his mother explains.
Need safety equipment?
According to the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec, from 2017 to 2022, the number of people injured in accidents involving mopeds increased from about 550 to 600.me Collard wants protective clothing such as helmets and boots to be mandatory for moped riders. “If he had motorcycle boots, this wouldn’t have happened, we agree,” he said.
Loïc gets around on crutches and is now waiting for rehabilitation to begin. For a surprising reason, he hopes to get his prosthetic as soon as possible to get around on a scooter again. “I like riding a scooter, it’s fun for me to get around and I get to see my friends more often.”
“When he came out of his second surgery, he asked me if he could still ride the scooter. I said, “I didn’t say no.” I don’t want to shatter all his hopes. But we will wait and see. “, says Mme Collard.
An at-fault driver is not allowed
An investigation by the Régie intermunicipale de police Richelieu-Saint-Laurent (RIPRSL) ruled out any criminal responsibility. RIPSL pointed out that even though the driver was at fault and confronted, no report was issued. “I cannot say whether a statement will be issued in the future,” Jean-Luc Tremblay, social-community sergeant of the RIPRSL, responded in writing.
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