MONTREAL -- A violent traffic accident left four people injured, including a child, the night before Christmas on Highway 117 in Val-d'Or, Que. in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Police say impaired driving charges may be laid.

According to the Sûreté du Québec, the collision between two vehicles occurred shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday on the road to Saint-Philippe, Que.

For a still undetermined reason, one of the vehicles would have deviated from its lane to strike another vehicle coming from the opposite direction.

The 24-year-old driver of the first vehicle suffered serious, but not life-threatening, injuries. Police say they have reason to believe the driver could have been impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Steps have been taken to obtain a warrant to take blood samples from the driver. If the analyzes prove positive for substance use, charges could possibly be laid against them.

In the other vehicle, the driver, the front-seat passenger, and a child in the back, all sustained serious injuries and were transported to the hospital.

None of their injuries are considered life-threatening, and their conditions are stable.

A collision reconstructionist was dispatched to the scene to investigate the circumstances of the crash. Highway 117 was closed for several hours at Kienawisik Rd. to allow analysis of the scene.

-- This report by the Canadian Press was first published by The Canadian Press in French on Dec. 25, 2021.