More than 260 people have lost their lives on highways and regional roads in the last year, according to a report released Thursday by the Sûreté du Québec (SQ). This is a slight improvement compared to 2022, but the situation remains fragile.
In total, the police force recorded 269 deaths last year. This is a 7.5% drop in the number of deaths compared to 2022, when 291 people lost their lives. However, this represents a slight increase of 3% compared to the average of 259 deaths which was recorded between 2018 and 2022.
The SQ network essentially covers highways and roads located outside large urban centers that are not served by municipal police services.
There were a total of 240 fatal collisions recorded in 2023, compared to 266 in 2022, a decrease of almost 10%. As in most categories, this is nevertheless a relatively stable figure compared to the five-year average, which hovers around 239 collisions causing one death.
It is the “Mauricie–Lanaudière” sector which accumulates for the second year in a row the most fatal collisions in 2023, with 39, followed by the regions of Capitale-Nationale–Chaudière-Appalaches (35), Estrie–Centre-du-Québec (33) and Outaouais–Laurentides (25).
Please note: last year, Mauricie–Lanaudière alone had no less than 45 deaths. Estrie–Centre-du-Québec then had 41, Outaouais–Laurentides, 38, and Montérégie, 32.
Around thirty pedestrians
Furthermore, 27 pedestrians died last year, according to the Sûreté du Québec, which had counted 36 in 2022. The average between 2018 and 2022 in this regard is also 27 deaths. Four cyclists died in 2023, compared to six in 2022; however, the average for the last five years is around 5.8.
Some 40 collisions involving a motorcycle were recorded, compared to 46 last year and a long-term average of 45. To this must be added 61 collisions in which at least one road tractor was involved in 2023, compared to 58 last year. previous and a five-year average of 51.4 collisions.
Once again this year, the main causes of fatal collisions are reckless driving and speeding (31%), impairment by alcohol, drugs or fatigue (16%) and inattention or distraction (9%). In short, “human behavior is at the origin of a majority of collisions,” says the SQ.
This reiterates that the adoption of safe behaviors by motorists “proves essential” to reverse the trend. Law enforcement officials say they are particularly concerned by the fact that almost 20% of victims who die in collisions do not wear their seat belts.
Actions will continue to be taken, including a reinforced presence of patrol officers in accident-prone sectors and the deployment of communication campaigns, to further reduce the toll. The SQ’s current strategy in this area, called PISTE, runs until 2026.
reference: www.lapresse.ca