Quebec coroner makes 18 recommendations to better protect lives of traffic signallers

Coroner Arnaud Samson makes 18 recommendations to better protect the lives of traffic signallers following the death of one of them, struck by a heavy truck.

Among other things, he recommends replacing traffic signallers with technological means, such as temporary traffic lights.

Similarly, he recommends prohibiting the use of traffic signallers in areas where the speed limit is higher than 50 km/h.

He also recommends prohibiting the simultaneous use of them and construction site flaggers.

The 60-year-old traffic signallers who was the subject of Samson’s investigation was acting as both a traffic signallers and a construction site flagger in Quebec City on July 6, 2024. He was directing traffic on the road when he was struck by a heavy truck.

The coroner also recommends that municipalities resort to a police presence or the use of photo radars in areas where a traffic signaller is in operation, “in order to ensure a level of safety consistent with the responsibilities incumbent on the managers of these public roads.”

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews