Quebec’s auto insurance board has released a new report highlighting an alarming increase in the number of road deaths.
SAAQ’s 2022 road report disclosed a total of 392 deaths on Quebec roads. This is 45 more than the previous year and 13.2% above the average number of deaths recorded from 2017 to 2021.
The board also reported a 22.7% increase in pedestrian fatalities in 2022, compared to the average. In total, 79 pedestrians lost their lives due to road accidents.
Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault expressed her concern about the rising fatalities in a Monday press release, stating that “one accident is too many.”
“The data made public today are cause for concern, particularly with regard to pedestrian fatalities,” she said, adding that the government will soon present a comprehensive road safety action plan to address the issue.
Pedestrian rights organization Piétons Québec also commented on the severity of the situation, stating that this is the highest pedestrian toll in the past 15 years.
“Pedestrians are unfortunately paying the price for our collective inaction to protect them,” Sandrine Cabana-Degani, the organization’s executive director, told the Canadian Press.
According to Cabana-Degani, the government’s action plan should include structural measures throughout Quebec to ensure the safety of vulnerable road users.
SAAQ’s report also revealed increases in motorcyclist and heavy vehicle-related fatalities.
Motorcyclist deaths rose by 10.1%, according to the report, while fatalities in accidents involving heavy vehicles increased by 17.3% compared to the 2017-2021 average. A total of 95 individuals lost their lives in accidents involving heavy vehicles in 2022.
Additionally, 61 motorcyclists and nine cyclists reportedly lost their lives in road accidents last year.
Injuries caused by road accidents also increased from the previous year. According to the report, 1,275 individuals suffered serious injuries and 27,048 sustained minor injuries.
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