Reckless behaviour, distracted driving being targeted by police

Quebec’s police forces say they are planning to work together to target distracted and reckless driving on the province's roads. (Jean-François Forget/CTV News)

Quebec’s many police forces, in collaboration with traffic enforcement officers from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), say they are planning to work together to target distracted and reckless driving on the province’s roads.

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The group says it plans to “intensify enforcement efforts from May 1 to May 7, 2026, as part of a coordinated national operation.”

“Reckless behaviour includes various actions taken by road users that, in addition to being irritating to other drivers, violate the Highway Safety Code and can endanger their safety and that of others,” the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said Thursday.

The force emphasizes that one of many reckless behaviours often observed on the roads is drivers failing to use their turn signals.

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“Not only does using your turn signal allow other road users to anticipate your actions, but it can also prevent collisions,” the SQ notes. “Using your turn signal is not optional, but mandatory. Failing to do so constitutes a violation of the Highway Safety Code.”

Other questionable behaviours that could result in fines include:

• Failure to obey traffic signals, including stop signs, red lights, school bus signals and yield signs;
• Reckless actions likely to compromise safety, such as illegal passing;
• Following too closely;
• Distracted driving, such as using a cell phone.