Coroner makes 18 recommendations after traffic signaller’s death in Quebec City

FILE: Road work underway in the City of Timmins on June 2, 2025. (Lydia Chubak/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Coroner Arnaud Samson has made 18 recommendations to better protect the lives of traffic signal operators, following the death of a worker struck by a heavy truck.

Among other things, he recommends replacing traffic signallers with technological solutions, such as temporary traffic lights.

He also recommends prohibiting the use of traffic signallers in areas where the speed limit exceeds 50 km/h.

In addition, he recommends prohibiting traffic signal operators from also acting as construction site signallers.

The 60-year-old flag person who was the subject of Samson’s investigation was working as both a road flag person and a construction site flag person in Quebec City on July 6, 2024. He was directing traffic on the road when he was struck by a heavy truck.

The coroner also recommends that municipalities use police presence or photo radar in areas where a traffic flagger is on duty, “in order to ensure a level of safety consistent with the responsibilities of public road managers.”

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 6, 2025.