A snowmobiler in his 60s died Sunday after colliding head-on with a tree on a hiking trail in Saint-Cuthbert in Lanaudière. It is the fourth fatal accident involving a snowmobile since Friday.
Updated yesterday at 4:16pm.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) reports that she was called to the scene earlier in the day, Sunday, around 9 a.m. The collision on Bundesweg 63 would have happened during a hike.
Accompanied by two other snowmobilers, the victim “lost control of his machine before it hit a tree,” summarized agent Catherine Bernard, spokeswoman for the SQ.
According to the authorities, the death of the victim, who was initially found to be in critical condition, was only confirmed at the scene. A collision site investigator then went to the crime scene to try to understand the exact causes and circumstances of the event.
Several more fatal snowmobile accidents have occurred since the beginning of the weekend. On Friday, a man in his 30s lost his life at the handlebars of his snowmobile after taking a trip to Sainte-Hélène-de-Bagot in Montérégie. Another snowmobiler found the victim who had lost control of his vehicle while cornering.
Two other snowmobilers have also died in two accidents in the past few days. The first occurred on Friday at Tring-Jonction in Beauce-Centre and the second on Saturday in the Mars-Moulin controlled zone at Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.
Calls for caution
In a Friday press release, the Sûreté du Québec had also urged users to be very cautious in light of the approaching spring break and regretted that “in order to entertain children, some adults adopt behaviors that are proving to be unsafe and risk serious injury when motorized.” Sports”.
“Placing a snow tube or other sliding object behind a snowmobile or ATV is not permitted, this proves to be a reckless act under Section 30 of the ORV Act, and the expected fine is $450,” police said.
The latter also recalled that it “is permitted to outrun passengers in a cart” but that it “must contain a rigid attachment, as well as reflectors and a light that is activated when braking”. “Passengers, like the driver, must wear a helmet. […] It is forbidden to install a child in front of you on a snowmobile or on a quad, ”we also argued.
Anyone under the age of 16 driving a snowmobile or SUV faces a $450 fine. Users are advised to respect speed limits, ride on trails and avoid unmarked bodies of water as the condition of the ice can pose “a significant risk”.