Fatal collisions down across Quebec 

Taylor Clark

Along with the rest of Quebec, the Outaouais and Laurentides regions saw a drop in fatal collisions in 2023, according to the Sûreté du Québec’s annual report on road safety.

“Although each death is one too many, the Sûreté du Québec is pleased to see an improvement in the road toll compared to last year,” read the report.

The Sûreté du Québec recorded 240 fatal accidents, resulting in 269 deaths across the province in 2023. For the Outaouais-Laurentides regions, 25 fatal collisions were documented, marking a 34 per cent decrease.

Reckless driving and speeding were cited as the top main causes of fatal collisions at 31 per cent, followed by impaired driving at 16 per cent and inattention or distraction at 9 per cent.

“These main causes remind us that human behaviour is at the origin of a majority of fatal and serious injury collisions. The continuation of the work of police officers in the field and the adoption of safe behaviours by motorists are therefore essential to reduce the number of road collisions.”

Among those who died in road collisions, 20 per cent were not wearing a seatbelt.

Photo caption: According to the annual road safety report by the Sûreté du Québec, human behaviour is at the heart of fatal and serious injury collisions.

Photo credit: Sûreté du Québec Facebook