Eight deaths in first weekend of Quebec construction holiday as accidents spike

At least eight people have died on Quebec roads in the first weekend of the construction holiday, marking a grim start to the two-week period that began July 19.

On Friday afternoon, a head-on collision on Route 329 in the Laurentians killed a seven-year-old boy and his parents, Marc Deslauriers and Sandra Simard, both in their 30s, from Lantier. According to Sûreté du Québec, the crash occurred when a driver attempted to overtake a vehicle ahead that was turning, instead colliding with the couple's car. The couple's 13-year-old son, who was not in the vehicle, has prompted an online fundraiser for his support.

On Saturday, a four-vehicle collision in Sacré-Cœur near Tadoussac on Route 138 left two men in their 20s dead and seven others injured. A driver allegedly veered into oncoming traffic, hitting three vehicles.

Sunday brought additional fatalities: a motorcyclist in his 60s in Quebec City died after veering off the Charest East Expressway while attempting a lane change; a man in his 50s was struck by a vehicle while crossing Sherbrooke Street in eastern Montreal near Viau Street; and a 68-year-old man in Sherbrooke lost control of his vehicle and ended up in a ditch on Chemin Saint-Roch Nord. Alcohol and speed may have been contributing factors in some incidents, according to the Sûreté du Québec.

This year's toll contrasts sharply with last year's construction holiday, which saw 38 deaths — the worst in a decade. The first 24 hours of this year's holiday claimed five lives. Police have urged drivers to exercise caution on roads and waterways throughout the two-week period.