The behavior of certain motorists sometimes makes officials at the MTQ’s integrated traffic management center (CIGC) want to tear their hair out. Whether with behaviors that contribute to road congestion or simply dangerous maneuvers, very often, it is the driver himself who makes the situation on our roads worse. The Journal has identified the five worst acts on the roads.
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1) Cell phone while driving
When police officers doubt whether a motorist is telling them the truth after an accident, they sometimes ask CIGC officials to rewind the cameras to see behavior before the accident. Very often, the vehicle swerves, touches the shoulder, brakes late. In short, all the signs of a motorist with his eyes on his phone rather than on the road. “It’s a disease, cell phones while driving. There are some who would need a rehab treatment,” insists Jasmin Boudreault, team leader at CIGC.
2) Drivers in too much of a hurry
An accident at the exit of the Pierre-Laporte bridge occurred at the end of October when a motorist in a hurry left the left lane and completely crossed the three lanes, without seeing that another car at fault which was overtaking from the right was arriving at the same time. Result? Seven cars involved and massive congestion.
“It was the perfect example of two drivers in a hurry on a Friday afternoon,” explains Simon Giguère.
3) Late or unnecessary braking
«Gaz, brake. Gaz, brake. Gaz, brake.” Lydia Rochette, CIGC attendant, is always surprised to see how people themselves cause congestion with this type of driving behavior. Traffic is thus fickle, with everyone braking a fraction of a second more than the car in front in order to prevent a collision, letting the domino effect take hold and end up blocking the flow of traffic.
4) Following too closely
The Journal has witnessed a few collisions caused by people following each other too closely and lacking reaction time. “It just takes unnecessary braking and it’s a chain reaction, because we see on the cameras how people follow too closely, how they don’t leave the safe space,” confides Simon Giguère.
5) Fuel outages
“Drivers who run out of gas are the worst!” Simon Giguère tells us, looking on his camera at a van blocking the central lane of the Capitale highway during the morning rush hour. The vehicle will have blocked one and a half lanes for 30 minutes, creating a traffic jam of approximately 5 km.
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