MONTREAL -- Speed ​​could be a factor in an accident that left one dead and two seriously injured in a work zone on Highway 440 on Wednesday evening in Laval.

Emergency services received a call around 9 p.m. after a motorcyclist struck a worker who was in a protected area at kilometre 34 of Highway 440 East.

The accident is said to have occurred as workers were busy closing the left lane.

"The motorcyclist allegedly attempted to avoid the service vehicles in the left lane. He passed an impact-absorbing truck, then he returned to the left lane, where he struck a worker who was in the lane," explained Surete du Quebec (SQ) spokesperson Sergeant Stéphane Tremblay.

The motorcyclist subsequently struck a pickup truck that was in the work area.

The rider of the motorcycle and his passenger were ejected as a result of the impact. The motorcycle rider died, and the two other people involved, the motorcycle passenger and the worker were in critical condition while being transported to the hospital, the SQ spokesperson said.

Highway 440 was closed eastbound from Montee Saint-Francois, according to Tremblay.

SQ accident scene technicians were called to the scene to analyze the crash.

-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2020.