Snowmobilers urged to use caution, especially when alone: SQ

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) is urging snowmobilers to be more cautious at the start of 2025 after several fatal accidents have been recently reported.

The victims are mostly snowmobilers who lost control of their vehicle while they were driving alone.

Over the past two weeks, the SQ has recorded six snowmobiler deaths in three different regions: Outaouais, Mauricie and Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

The most recent incident occurred on Thursday, when a 71-year-old man lost control of his snowmobile and hit a tree in the Zec du Gros-Brochet, in Haute-Mauricie. He was found unconscious several hours after crashing by someone passing.

He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

According to SQ spokesperson Éloïse Cossette, a common factor between the recent incidents is that the snowmobilers were alone when they lost control.

“In all cases, they lost control of a single snowmobile. It often ends up with us going off the trail, hitting a tree, which can lead to serious injuries and death,” explained Cossette.

“We invite people who practice these sports, off-road, to be extra careful, because the winter season is starting, and a number of deaths have already occurred.”

Some accidents can be attributed to speeding or because the victim was intoxicated on their snowmobile, noted Cossette, but the common factor between the different events is that only one person was involved.

“These are not collisions between two vehicles, these are really people who lost control alone, so we really encourage users to be extra careful,” she said.

To reduce the risks, the SQ suggests that snowmobilers avoid going alone, or at least warn a loved one of the route they plan to take. The SQ also want drivers to respect signage and to adjust their speed according to trail conditions.

Every year, around 20 snowmobilers lose their lives in Quebec. In 2023, the total number of fatal accidents reached 27.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews