Betrayed by her social networks: the Minister of Transport Geneviève Guilbault does not always wear her seat belt in the car

Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault, who again last week encouraged Quebecers to be more responsible on the roads, does not lead by example. Several photos published on her social networks show that on many occasions, she does not wear her seat belt in the car.

• Read also: Road safety strategy: more speed cameras and tougher fines

Five photos showing her without a belt have been published in the last three years when she was Minister of Public Safety, and more recently, of Transport.

On one occasion she was driving, and four other times she was a passenger. In all these cases, the Highway Safety Code, for which the Minister is responsible, makes it compulsory to wear seat belts (see box).

“We always expect our elected officials to lead by example, to be in their business and set an example, to be role models,” said Mireille Lalancette, professor of political communication at the University of Quebec to Trois-Rivieres.

The expert points out that this is not just about setting a good example.

“Not wearing a toque in winter is a personal choice. While wearing a seat belt in the car is mandatory […]it’s non-negotiable,” she said.

Contacted by The newspaperMinister Guilbault immediately apologized.

“M^me Guilbault is sorry and would like to remind you of the importance of wearing your seatbelt when traveling,” said her attaché Léonie Bernard-Abel.

M^me Lalancette qualifies the scope of the few photos of the minister on all of her very numerous publications. “She is very active on social media. […] so these are images among others, it’s diluted.

Specific context

These apparent violations of the Highway Safety Code occur in a context where more and more people are dying on the roads and a greater proportion of them, approximately one-third, are not wearing seat belts.

Indeed, since the pandemic, road tolls have continued to worsen. The year 2022 even marks the worst record of the decade with 392 deaths.

Last week, the minister presented her road safety action plan to make our roads safer.

A bill is also planned for the fall, as well as an awareness campaign on road safety.

People aged 25 to 54 are more likely to not wear seat belts (36%) according to data from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ). M^me Guilbault is also in this age group.

In 2021, following the death of a young passenger who was not wearing a seat belt, coroner Alain Manseau recommended that the SAAQ “continue and intensify its efforts through awareness-raising activities in order to encourage all occupants of a motor vehicle to wear seat belts. »

However, the Minister’s new action plan does not include a seat belt objective and the SAAQ’s last campaign on this topic dates back to 2019.

“The wearing of seat belts is however addressed in our field prevention actions carried out by the team of advisers in relation to the environment during conferences with young people, seniors and newcomers”, specifies the SAAQ. In 2018, the fine for not wearing the belt was also increased.

She adds that wearing a seat belt “halves the risk of being killed or seriously injured in an accident”.

-With the collaboration of Philippe Langlois and Jean-Louis Fortin

On average (from 2018 to 2022), 28% of people who died, whether drivers or passengers, were not wearing their seat belt.

2022: 31.3%

2021: 28.3%

2020: 33.1%

2019: 21.3%

2018: 26.6%

This represents approximately each year:

• 50 deaths

• 125 seriously injured

The number of violations related to not wearing seatbelts averaged 25,444 each year from 2016 to 2020.

Source: SAAQ

“THE Highway Safety Code is clear: it is mandatory to wear your seat belt correctly, under penalty of receiving a fine and having 3 demerit points added to your driving record”, can we read on the SAAQ website.

Both drivers and passengers must wear seat belts whether they are in the front or the back of the vehicle, even in a taxi.

Penalties for those who do not attach themselves

• Fine of $200 to $300
• 3 demerit points

Source: SAAQ

“I feel that today we are at a crucial moment when the whole of society wants to embark on this momentum. […] Each person holding a permit, pedestrian or bicycle or otherwise, must be aware of their own responsibility. – Geneviève Guilbault, Minister of Transport, on August 22 during the presentation of her road safety action plan.

• In September 2001, PQ Minister Guy Chevrette’s car was followed by journalists from the Montreal Journal who had noticed several speeding tickets. The minister’s car had traveled up to 132 km/h or 120 km/h in a 70 km/h zone. In previous months, Mr. Chevrette denounced drivers who saw speed limits as a suggestion rather than an obligation to respect.

• In November 2007, Liberal Minister Julie Boulet’s limousine was followed by our journalists after a press conference. The latter had witnessed numerous violations of the Code, including speeding up to 130 km/h as well as illegal overtaking. The minister had found herself in trouble since she had just, a few days earlier, tabled a bill to tighten the screw against speeding, in particular. She had defended herself by saying that she slept during this trip and had not realized the behavior of her driver. The latter had been assigned to other tasks after the publication of our article.