Coroner calls for licence suspensions for Quebec drivers who don't wear seat belts
A Quebec coroner is recommending temporary licence suspensions for drivers who are caught not wearing a seat belt.
The recommendation comes after the death of Felix Demers-Dube, who was killed in a crash in the Montérégie region in early 2022. The 25-year-old wasn't wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.
In his report, Coroner Rudi Daelman says the young man's death was preventable.
According to the Sûreté du Québec, 20 per cent of victims in fatal vehicle collisions in Quebec in 2023 were not wearing a seat belt. A year earlier it was 30 per cent.
The coroner recommended changes to the Highway Safety Code for violators to have their licences suspended for three 3 months.
Currently, a person can receive fines up to $300 and three demerit points for not wearing a seat belt.
André Durocher, CAA Quebec's director of community relations and road safety, says at one point Quebec had very high seat belt compliance.
"So maybe, wrongfully, we said, 'OK, job done,'" he said in an interview, adding that for stricter measures to work, awareness and education are key.
"It is a measure, not necessarily the measure, but nevertheless I think beforehand, in order to gain social acceptance of the measure, you have to do education upfront," Durocher said.
He recommends making sure the message is targeting the right people.
Even the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, apologized last summer after social media posts showed her not wearing a seat belt in a vehicle on several occasions.
Quebec's automobile insurance board, the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), says its latest data shows seat belt use in Quebec at 99 per cent, adding it's not planning to act on the coroner's recommendation short-term.
"Immediate licence suspensions provided for in the Highway Safety Code are aimed at behaviours that increase the risk of collisions, which is not the case for failure to wear a seat belt," the SAAQ said in a statement to CTV News.
The insurance board says it will ask police forces to pay extra attention to seat belts during future road safety operations, though Durocher says those campaigns can be difficult. Many vehicles have tinted windows, making it difficult to see inside, particularly in the back.
The SAAQ also adds it may develop a seat belt awareness campaign.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.