Recent Quebec road and off-road crashes ‘particularly deadly,’ police say 

MONTREAL – Quebec provincial police say 22 people died in crashes on the province’s roads and trails over the past two weeks, marking a particularly deadly summer holiday period.  

Police say there were 13 fatal road accidents as well as four involving off-road vehicles during the two-week construction holiday, when construction workers and many other Quebecers have annual vacations.  

In comparison, there were 11 fatal accidents resulting in 13 deaths during the same period last year.  

Police said in a statement that the main causes of crashes are distraction, illegal passing, speed and driving under the influence.  

They say most of the collisions this year were due to driver behaviour, including speeding.  

Quebec’s two-week holiday for construction industry workers was made official in 1970 and results in a shutdown of most construction sites and a surge in traffic as workers and their families head out on vacation.  

Feature image by iStock.com/Marc Dufresne