A white hearse from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) will travel across the province during the construction holidays to raise awareness among motorists about adopting safe behaviors during this particularly busy period on the roads.
The hearse will stop in several Quebec cities. Citizens will then be invited to sign the white vinyl-covered vehicle as a “mobile contract,” in which they agree to drive safely.
The SAAQ vehicle began its journey Thursday in Montreal. On Saturday, it will stop in Quebec City, notably near the site of the Quebec City Summer Festival, before continuing its route towards Saguenay, Rimouski, Trois-Rivières and Saint-Sauveur, among other places.
“We wanted to make a statement, we wanted to raise awareness, to make an impression, and that’s kind of the idea behind the hearse. It’s a powerful symbol, it can be shocking, but it also reminds us what’s at stake when we’re behind the wheel, because unfortunately we’re always one distraction away from ending up in the hearse,” explained Simon-Pierre Poulin, spokesperson for the SAAQ, in an interview.
The construction holidays are one of the deadliest times of year on Quebec roads, Poulin indicated. He explained that this is due to the fact that people take more risks, drive faster because of the good weather, and travel longer distances.
Last year, the construction holiday toll reached 35 deaths on the province’s roads, reports the SAAQ. “That was almost double the number in previous years,” said Poulin.
The SAAQ spokesperson pointed out that the causes of road deaths are often the same: distractions, speeding, and impaired driving.
“These are things we can control,” said Poulin. He called on motorists to adopt small, life-saving actions, such as not looking at their cell phones while driving.
“In the specific case of the construction holidays, it’s really speed. Speed is involved in three-quarters of the deaths,” Poulin stated.
“The message is also particularly directed at motorcyclists. We have seen a significant increase in the number of motorcyclist deaths in the last year. A motorcyclist who goes too fast is a motorcyclist who dies. The leading cause of motorcyclist deaths in Quebec is speeding.”
The SAAQ spokesperson also stressed the importance for motorcyclists to be dressed appropriately with protective clothing, even if it is hot.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) also indicated that it will intensify its interventions on the road network during the construction holidays, which run until August 2.
“About a third of Quebecers take time off during this period, thus increasing travel on the road network and traffic on waterways and trails,” the SQ said in a statement.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
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