The Sûreté du Québec (SQ)'s annual report on road safety shows a deterioration of several data in 2022, not only compared to the previous year, but also in comparison with the averages calculated from 2017 to 2021.
For example, there were 266 fatal collisions last year, while there were 245 in 2021 and an average of 232 in the period 2017 to 2021. In one year, the number of fatalities has risen sharply, from 265 two years ago to 291 in 2022.
The Sûreté du Québec police have also observed a recurring phenomenon that concerns them: nearly 30 per cent of victims who died in road collisions were not wearing a seatbelt.
Reckless driving and speeding were responsible for 32 per cent of collisions last year, compared to 15 per cent for driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or fatigue and nine per cent for inattention or distraction.
The 2022 results show that the greatest number of fatal collisions occurred in the Mauricie-Lanaudière region, with 45, followed by the Estrie-Centre-du-Québec region (41) and the Outaouais-Laurentides region (38).
Between 2021 and last year, the number of pedestrians who lost their lives on the territory served by the SQ rose from 30 to 36, while seven cyclists died in each of the two years.
On the other hand, the number of collisions involving at least one motorbike decreased from 53 two years ago to 43 last year.
The Sûreté du Québec is critical of the fact that human behaviour is often at fault in collisions resulting in injury or death.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 17, 2023.
