More fatal crashes and drownings during Quebec's construction holiday

Fatal crashes, drownings up over holiday period Quebec’s construction holiday was more deadly this year than in the two years past, with an increase in road fatalities and drownings.

While many Quebecers drove to their cottage and went for a swim in the summer heat, this year's construction holiday turned out quite deadly compared to previous years in the province.

'FRIGHTENING' NUMBER OF FATAL CRASHES

Quebec recorded the most deaths from collisions in the past two weeks since the same holiday period in 2019.

There were 13 road-related deaths between July 22 and Aug. 7 this year, based on a report by the Sûreté du Québec, compared to 12 last year and nine in 2020.

The 75 deadliest days of the year for Quebec drivers fall over the summer months, said Nicolas Ryan, spokesperson for the Quebec branch of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) — and construction holiday is no exception.

The return of pre-pandemic tourism and long-distance travel resulted in the increase in fatal crashes on Quebec highways.

Speeding and distraction are the two main causes of fatal crashes, said Ryan.

"Whenever you're taking your eyes off the road to look at your phone, even if it's about three to five seconds, that's about the length of a football field you're crossing without looking at the road," he said. "A lot can happen in that moment."

Eating behind the wheel, putting on make-up, and having a heated discussion in the car are all distractions — the best solution is to pull over in a safe area, he said.

Those who are eager to reach their destination faster won’t benefit from speeding, either.

"If you're rolling 90 kilometres per hour [...] and you wanna go 110 kilometres per hour, over 20 kilometres you’ll only be saving about two minutes of your time," Ryan explained.

"Is that really worth multiplying the risk of having an accident with the deadly consequences it can have?"

CAA-Québec expects to see over 100 deaths on Quebec roads this summer. In 2020 and 2021, the death toll stood at 92 each year over the same period.

MORE DROWNINGS ACROSS QUEBEC

Quebec also recorded the second-highest number of drowning cases in the past five years over the two-week holiday.

Among the 11 drownings since July 22, most took place in the deep waters of lakes and rivers, without a lifeguard nearby.

This year's construction holiday drownings almost doubled last year's numbers, when there were six deaths in Quebec. In 2018, only four people drowned over the same period. But in 2020, that number climbed to 14.

The leading cause of death this year was a person's inability to swim, though the hot summer weather also encouraged more Quebecers rushed to cool off in the water, said Raynald Hawkins, president of Quebec's Lifesaving Society.

He also warned that alcohol consumption on a boat has a stronger impact than drinking on the shore, affecting one's ability to swim.

"When you drink only one beer inside the boat, for example, the equivalent is similar to three [beers] on land because you are dehydrated and you also have the waves from the boat," he explained. "We know that about 40 per cent of adults who drowned had consumed some alcohol."

Since the start of the pandemic, half of all drowning victims were swimming alone.

"Never be alone when you're around the water. Doesn't matter what kind of activity you're going to do," said Hawkins.

Seniors are also at a higher risk of drowning. Hawkins says Quebecers over the age of 55 shouldn't overestimate their skills or refuse to wear a life jacket on a boat, or think they can swim just as well as their younger selves.

Learning to swim is key to avoiding water-related deaths, he added, saying it should be part of school curriculum.

"They need to learn the 'Swim to Survive' approach [to know] how you need to react if you fall overboard, or if you jump unintentionally in the deep side of the pool or a lake," said Hawkins.

But despite the higher-than-usual number of drownings in the past two weeks, the general trend is moving in the positive direction.

When Hawkins joined the Lifesaving Society almost 40 years ago, annual drownings often surpassed 200 in Quebec. Now, while the province's population grew, that number dropped to about 80, he said.