An increase in Quebec but a 50% decrease in the Outaouais

An increase in Quebec but a 50% decrease in the Outaouais

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) has unveiled its provisional assessment of fatal collisions for the year 2020. 2020 shows an increase in the number of fatal collisions compared to 2019, from 217 to 228. In the Outaouais, fatal collisions have halved, from 40 in 2019 to 20 in 2020.

The 2020 report shows that the main causes of fatal collisions are:
• reckless driving and speeding (29% of collisions);
• inattention / distraction (14%);
• driving ability impaired by alcohol, drugs or fatigue (10%);

The SQ says it finds that the 2020 toll remains below the average for the last five years (which is 236 collisions). It should also be noted that nearly 20% of victims who died in road crashes were not wearing seat belts. Regarding collisions involving at least one motorcycle, 52 collisions were recorded, which brings the toll to 54 deaths in 2020 and represents an increase in the number of deaths compared to the average of the previous five years, which is 41.

The road toll for 2020 shows 18 deceased pedestrians and six deceased cyclists. While the number of pedestrian fatalities fell slightly compared to the 2019 toll (with 21 fatalities), it is one more cyclist who lost his life in 2020 compared to an average of 4 for the past five years.

The Sûreté du Québec says it is maintaining its efforts to ensure the safety of road users, in particular through the work of its patrol officers as well as awareness campaigns. However, they would like to remind drivers that they must adopt safe driving behaviors and exercise caution to reduce the risk of being involved in a collision.