Quebec police hand out speeding tickets as construction holiday begins

As the construction holiday begins in Quebec, police officers say they are ready to hand out tickets to curb dangerous driving on the roads.

On Thursday morning, officers with the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) began increased surveillance on Highway 50 in Mirabel and Highway 20 in the Rivière-Beaudette region of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, both of which are considered collision-prone areas.

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Police issued more than 260 statements of offence, including 146 speeding tickets, during the operation.

In what the SQ calls a “zero zone” approach, the force says it is strategically intervening in areas where the most crashes occur.

Police traditionally step up surveillance during the two-week period, when many Quebecers take to the roads for vacation, as it is considered one of the deadliest times of year for road accidents.

Last year, the SQ reported 17 fatal collisions resulting in 18 deaths between July 19 and Aug. 4.

In 2023, there were 19 collisions resulting in 24 deaths for the same period.