FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

The Sûreté du Québec is looking into several potential causes of a single-vehicle accident last Saturday morning on Highway 20 in Baie d’Urfé that claimed the life of a man in his 60s. And while a medical emergency is believed to be the likely cause, local motorists say the stretch of the highway where the tragedy happened is riddled with dangerous potholes and poor road conditions.

According to Béatrice Dorsainville of the SQ, the crash happened in the westbound lanes at about 8:30 a.m. after the driver lost control or his vehicle. The male driver was ejected from his car and was found in a ditch. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Dorsainville said officers were on the scene and closed the highway until mid-afternoon while investigators analyzed the crash site.

A distraction, cell phone, medical emergency, potholes, a mechanical failure – the SQ is looking at all possibilities.

Meanwhile, drivers familiar with that section of Highway 20 expressed concern about poor road conditions playing a possible role in the crash.

“The right lane of that highway is awful, especially near that exit. It’s all potholes. It’s very easy to lose control if you aren’t paying attention or have no hands on the wheel,” said Pincourt resident Geoff Jackson.

“It’s been like that for at least three years and has been getting progressively worse to the point that it has now become deadly,” said Marc Bessette of Dorval. “The Quebec minister of transport should be ashamed. Our provincial roads are a disgrace.”