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75 jours les plus meurtriers: mieux vaut arriver en un morceau que plus tôt

Press release
Published on June 20, 2024

As Quebecers prepare to enjoy the pleasures of summer, CAA-Quebec urges everyone to be cautious on the roads. Real kick-off of the vacation period, the national holiday also marks the beginning of the 75 deadliest days on Quebec roads, with nearly a quarter of deaths occurring there last year.  

The latest statistics from Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) show an encouraging improvement for summer 2023 compared to 2022. We see a decrease of nearly 20% in deaths on the road during this critical period, 93 people died in 2023 compared to 116 in 2022.

“The season for big travels is just around the corner. Although we had a better record last year, please be courteous and cautious, regardless of your chosen mode of transportation.”

André DurocherDirector, CAA-Quebec Foundation​

A difficult record for some regions

Some administrative regions continued to face their worst time of the year for the 2023 record. This is particularly the case for Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean with 54% of its annual deaths (13 deaths out of 24) during the summer, Mauricie (5 deaths out of 16, 31%), Chaudière-Appalaches (11 deaths out of 35, 31%), Lanaudière (8 deaths out of 26, 30%), Montréal (9 deaths out of 31, 29%) and Estrie (6 deaths out of 24, 25%).  

The Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region, which had the worst summer in 2022 with 67% of its annual deaths, or 6 deaths out of 9, recorded a clear improvement in 2023 with 1 death out of 12, so 8%. The same applies to the Côte-Nord region, where an improvement was seen with 1 death out of 9 in 2023, or 11%, compared with 6 deaths out of 15 in 2022, or 40%. 

 

Regional statistical data Source: SAAQ 

 

Tips for a great season 

According to CAA-Quebec’s traditional survey on vacation plans, 57% of Quebecers will enjoy summer in the province. We can therefore expect the roads to be very busy, especially in August. To contribute to the safety of all, road users may adopt the following behaviours:   

  • Sharing the road by being courteous to vulnerable users, such as cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians. 

  • Keep more distance between you and the vehicles for a better reaction time. 

  • Reduce your speed and respect limits, especially near construction zones, and avoid distractions. These are the most common causes of accidents.   

  • Reminder: driving faster by only 20 km/h over a 20 km distance only saves you two minutes but increases fuel consumption by 15%. 

  • With trailers or recreational vehicles, avoid excessive speeding to give you enough braking time, and pay attention to blind spots. 

  • Apply the five principles of visual scanning: look up and ahead, get the big picture, keep your eyes moving, make sure you can be seen and leave yourself an out. 

About CAA-Quebec

CAA-Quebec offers a wide range of assistance services in a variety of sectors by drawing upon a human approach. Socially committed, the organization strives on a daily basis to defend the interests of its members. And in keeping with its values of reliability and benevolence, it fosters responsible consumption and promotes road safety. 

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