“The event occurred around 10:30 p.m. Witnesses reported an accident with serious injuries. We quickly went to the scene and the firefighters were already on the scene trying to extricate a driver from one of the vehicles,” explains Sergeant Luc Mongrain of the Trois-Rivières police.
For a reason still unknown, the vehicle which was traveling in a northbound direction near rue Louis-Alma Pépin, a Kia Rio, would have deviated from its lane and struck the second vehicle which was arriving in a southbound direction.
“Quickly, the injured were transported to hospital, but shortly after midnight, we learned that a 19-year-old young lady had died from the causes of her injuries. She was in the Kia Rio, but we cannot yet confirm her position in the vehicle.
Three other people were also seriously injured in the impact, but there are no fears for their lives at this time, it is confirmed.
“However, we are talking about significant injuries, notably fractures and internal injuries in their case,” specifies Sergeant Mongrain.
Two investigators from the Trois-Rivières police and an accident scene technician, in addition to a reconstructionist from the Sûreté du Québec, were called to the scene during the night to carry out the analysis. of the scene.
Route 157 was closed in both directions between Louis-Alma-Pépin and Saint-Alexis streets for many hours. It was reopened to traffic shortly before 8 a.m. Friday morning.
A speed problem in the sector?
For the municipal councilor of the Saint-Louis-de-France district, Geneviève Auclair, this fatal accident recalls the issue of speed raised numerous times in recent years.
“It’s almost weekly that people talk to me about the problem. People are really very concerned about the speed on Thibeau Boulevard because we see that motorists often drive faster than 70 km/h,” confirms the woman who made a request to the Trois-Rivières police last March to obtain a report on the annual number of accidents in the sector.
According to her, the figures speak for themselves, as Thursday evening’s accident is added to the two other accidents that have occurred over the past year. In 2023, three accidents were recorded, while in 2022, there were seven accidents, compared to five in 2021.
“As for the Ministry of Transport, it’s a bit like the status quo in terms of speed, but there is an opening to reduce the speed to 50 km/h between rue Denis-Roy and rue Louis-de-France,” explains the councilor.
The municipal councilor for the Saint-Louis-de-France district, Geneviève Auclair, believes that there is a problem in the sector. (Stéphane Lessard/Archives Le Nouvelliste)
If Ms. Auclair sees this opening of the ministry in a positive light, the fact remains that other developments would be necessary in the sector before being able to declare victory.
“The project is conditional on a 3rd traffic light near rue Georges. That one would cost $350,000. It’s conditional, but here we come to the question of prioritizing traffic lights in Trois-Rivières.”
The speed phenomenon on Boulevard Thibeau would not, however, be the only problem in the area, the councilor also confirms.
“The other thing that is very problematic is the left turn on Saint-Alexis because there is no turn priority to turn left safely. And we have to understand that we are still in the curve and that the cars are arriving quickly. And for that, for the moment, the ministry refused to change this light so I am thinking about starting a draft petition because the majority of people want that to change,” concludes Ms. Auclair.
