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As Quebec construction holiday kicks off, drivers urged to heed warnings

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Construction holiday kicks off in Quebec
Thousands of Quebecers are heading out onto the highways to start their annual summer two-week vacation. Authorities are reminding drivers to once again be vigilant behind the wheel. Global's Brayden Jagger Haines reports – Jul 19, 2024

As the majority of Quebec’s construction industry workers clock out for the next two weeks for the construction holiday, provincial police are urging caution on the roads.

“The police presence will be intensive this weekend,” Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Nicolas Scholtus said.

Authorities are putting out a call to drivers to be alert while behind the wheel and slow down.

Officers will be fanning out with squads across the province in full force.

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“We will be out there enforcing the law making sure that people are slowing down,” Scholtus said.

“We want people to be safe on the road as well as the body of water and off-road.”

The annual blitz follows a particularly deadly summer. Last year more than 22 fatal collisions were reported on Quebec roads.

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From July 22 to Aug. 5, the majority of job sites in the province will be at a standstill as nearly 200,000 Quebecers head out of the office.

According to CAA-Quebec, almost a third of all annual road deaths occur during the summer period – when vacationing locals and tourists hit the highways in large numbers.

“We’re talking about speeding, alcohol and fatigue. It’s funny because people are on vacation for two weeks but they want to do those activities in a short period of time,” spokesperson André Durocher said.

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