Quebec coroner recommends licence suspensions for seatbelt infractions

A Quebec coroner is recommending stiffer penalties for drivers caught not wearing their seatbelt while behind the wheel.

Rudi Daelman is suggesting that those caught committing the infraction have their driver’s licences suspended temporarily for up to three months.

The recommendation comes out of his report on the death of Felix Demers-Dube.

The 25-year-old driver died in a collision two years ago in Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil. Daelman’s report says his death could have been avoided if he had been wearing a seatbelt.

According to the Sûreté du Québec’s latest road report, 20 per cent of victims in fatal road collisions last year were not wearing a seatbelt — a slight improvement compared with 2022, which saw that figure reach 30 per cent.

“It goes to show you, when you are talking road safety, you have to continuously repeat the messages,” CAA Quebec spokesperson Andre Durocher said.

Durocher says awareness campaigns focusing on seatbelts have been lacking of late in Quebec.

“The younger generations have not seen a (targeted) safety campaign recently,” Durocher said.

Currently, Quebec drivers can receive a fine of up to $300 and an additional three demerit points for not wearing a seatbelt while on the road.

In response to the coroner’s report, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec said in a statement that the majority of Quebec drivers are buckling up.

“According to our latest field observations, the seatbelt-wearing rate observed on the road was 99 per cent,” Anthony Bérubé, SAAQ spokesperson, said.

Regarding the suspending of licences, the SAAQ said it would not be acting upon the recommendations.

“The immediate suspensions of licences according to the Highway Safety Code target behaviours which increase the risk of collisions, which is not the case for not wearing a seatbelt,” Bérubé said.

The SAAQ said it takes the issue seriously and will be considering awareness campaigns targeting seatbelt-wearing in the future.

There will also be “additional attention” on drivers buckling up during provincial police road patrols.

0:33 Honda recalls over 50K vehicles in Canada over faulty seatbelt