Record Staff – The Sûreté du Québec unveiled provisional data for its 2018 road safety report this week, revealing that the number of fatal accidents is decreasing in territory it serves. The year 2018 ended with a decrease in the number of fatal accidents, from 243 in 2017 to 235 in 2018. The report also shows a decrease in the number of highway deaths for the same period, that is to say 268 deaths in 2017 to 253 in 2018.
Excessive speed: still one of the most common causes of fatal accidents
While the number of speed-related fatal collisions dropped from 76 in 2017 to 72 in 2018, speeding still dominates the list of causes of fatal crashes and is among the probable causes of fatal accidents in more than 30 per cent of cases in 2018, that is to say about one collision out of three.
Distracted driving in second place
Driver distraction (including cell phone use) is reported to be involved in 11 per cent of fatal accidents in 2018. Although police officers from the Sûreté du Québec issue more than 9,000 tickets every year for mobile phone use while driving, distracted driving was the likely cause of 25 fatal accidents.
Alcohol and drugs driving is criminal
Driving impaired by alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both is the third most likely cause of fatal accidents with a slight decrease to 8 per cent in 2018.
