Driver charged after collision leaves motorcyclist injured

An already busy area in Kingston’s west end, which has become increasingly difficult to navigate due to construction, the intersection of Princess Street and Bayridge Drive has seen a number of collisions of late.

Most recently, a collision involving a vehicle and a motorcycle saw the motorcyclist injured and the driver of the vehicle charged. That collision occurred on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, just as the noon hour rush began.

Kingston Fire & Rescue, Kingston Police, and Frontenac Paramedics all attended the scene, where the driver of the motorcycle was found to have sustained a non-life-threatening injury as a result of the collision. According to police, the motorcyclist was taken to hospital to be treated.

The driver of the vehicle involved, however, remained at the intersection, where police analyzed the collision scene before the roadway was reopened to traffic. The intersection was only closed briefly to traffic, as the scene was cleaned up and cleared within an hour.

In response to Kingstonist inquiries, Const. Anthony Colangeli, Media Relations Officer for Kingston Police, confirmed that the driver of the vehicle was charged.

“The driver of the vehicle was charged with Careless Driving under the Highway Traffic Act,” Colangeli said in an email two days after the collision.

The construction work currently underway at the intersection of Princess Street and Bayridge Drive is part of Phase One of a larger project, which aims to improve active transportation amenities throughout the north-south corridor. At the same time, the project will also include roadwork and storm sewer construction on Bayridge Drive between Princess Street and Cataraqui Woods Drive as well as sidewalk repair and construction to fix gaps, according to the City. Work on the project began in early July 2023.