Soon after coming into office, the Liberal government of Jean Charest noticed a worrisome and unusual trend in Quebec's road safety record.  Starting in the early 2000's, casualties and fatalities on Quebec roads went up, reversing established trends and singling out Quebec among other nations.

The Liberal government decided to tackle the issue head on, focusing on the biggest risk factors and targeting interventions well.  Truth be told, human behaviour is the root cause of 80% of road accidents, speed and alcohol accounting for half that tally.  Young drivers, on account of their inexperience or temerity, are particularly vulnerable.  In 2008, Quebecers aged 16 to 24 years old accounted for 10% of driving licences, but 23% of all drivers involved in accidents with injury.

So, over recent years and despite some resistance, the government has deployed a comprehensive strategy targeting core priorities:  excessive speed and alcohol consumption, young drivers, factors affecting driver distraction and fatigue, and intersections unusually hazardous to pedestrians and cyclists.  Consequently, the Liberal government has:

Banned the use of cell phones while driving, except for hands-free or headset solutions;

Toughened up penalties for very high speed infractions and for drinking and driving, making them even harsher for repeat offenders;

Introduced photo radars in the most critical locations to reduce accidents;

Introduced new rules to prevent truck drivers being on the road in a state of extreme fatigue;

Re-established mandatory driving lessons, abolished by the PQ in 1997, and introduced probation periods when alcohol consumption is forbidden to young drivers.

The new approach is already yielding results. In 2008, fatalities on Quebec roads were 16% lower than during the preceding 5 years.  In 2009, Quebec's road safety record proved to be the best since 1948.  That means hundreds of tragedies spared for some families, and millions of dollars in insurance costs saved for all Quebec drivers.  The Liberal government is keen to make further efforts to save lives, thanks to such initiatives as:

A further lowering of the tolerated blood-alcohol level while driving;

Mandatory speed limiters for all heavy trucks;

Lower speed limits in some urban settings, so as to provide more safety to pedestrians;

Tougher sanctions for street racing and car surfing.