The series of fatal accidents involving motorcyclists in the past week is a clear call for the vigilance of all road users, say experts.
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“It’s something I haven’t seen regularly. It’s a rare and unfortunate thing, notes Marco Harrison, traffic safety expert at CAA-Quebec. We need to educate people to stop it.”
A 31-year-old motorcyclist died Thursday night, becoming the seventh person to die on a motorcycle on provincial roads in a week, according to Le Journal count.
Photo QMI Agency, Erik Peters
Jeanlou Richard reportedly lost control of his car around 1:30 a.m. on a curve at the junction of Highway 13 in Boisbriand, on Montreal’s north shore.
Jeanlou Richard reportedly lost control of his car around 1:30 a.m. on a curve at the junction of Highway 13 in Boisbriand, on Montreal’s north shore.
A few hours earlier, a 43-year-old motorcyclist was seriously injured in a collision with a vehicle in the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district. However, his life is not in danger, Montreal police said.
Erik Peters / QMI Agency
A man was seriously injured in a collision at the corner of rue Notre-Dame Est in Montreal and rue Georges-Bizet.
“If we continue at the pace we started this year, [le bilan] will be catastrophic,” fears Marco Harrison.
He asks motorcyclists who take advantage of the beautiful sun to be careful.
“Don’t get involved in the statistics,” says the expert.
Explosion of permits
The start of the season marked by deaths has shaken users, says Sylvain Bergeron, president of the Fédération motocycliste du Québec (FMQ).
“We dive back into reality […] very sad [qui est] “The motorcycle doesn’t forgive that,” he summarizes.
Since the pandemic, there have been around 20,000 more motorcycle licenses across the province, says Sylvain Bergeron.
“There are more people on the move, so there are more risks. There are people who might lack a bit of experience, says FMQ’s president. You have to adapt to the conditions at all times.”
Reflexes for recovery after winter
According to Marco Harrison, at the end of the winter break, motorcyclists should take the time to gradually regain their reflexes.
“Maybe they should take it a little slower, take a little longer than normal to become more responsive, and also get to a point where they’re able to regain control of certain maneuvers,” he suggests.
At the same time, other motorists are being asked to be more vigilant as the motorcycles return.
Courtesy of CAA-QUEBEC
Marco Harrison is Traffic Safety Specialist at CAA-Quebec.
“People [qui conduisent des voitures ou des camions] may not pay enough attention. They are more vulnerable users. they are smaller You have to be vigilant,” says the expert.
According to a partial report by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), 51 people would die on motorcycles in 2022, more than 20% fewer than in 2021.
We also note that 210 people were seriously injured, down almost 9%.
– With Erika Aubin