The context. October is Pedestrian Month in Quebec. Once again, the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) is teaming up with the group Piétons Québec to remind drivers to watch out for people on foot. Fall is a tricky season: daylight fades, and late afternoon gets dark earlier.
The numbers. According to the SAAQ's October 8, 2026 news release (in French), 75 pedestrians died on Quebec roads in 2025, 19 of them in October and November alone. The probable cause most often cited in those fatal collisions was driver inattention.
What the SAAQ asks of drivers. The release lists five habits: expect pedestrians near intersections, schools, residential streets, shops and crosswalks; respect speed limits; check your blind spots, including those created by the windshield pillars; yield the right of way at intersections, crosswalks and traffic lights; and follow the signs.
The rules that apply. When you pass a pedestrian, you must first slow down, then keep a distance of at least 1 metre in zones of 50 km/h or less, and 1.5 metres above that. At crosswalks, drivers must always yield to pedestrians who are crossing or signalling that they intend to cross.
When you're on foot. The government's rules and safety tips for pedestrians say to cross at an intersection or crosswalk where possible, and to follow the pedestrian light, or the traffic lights if there isn't one. Avoid crossing between parked vehicles and make eye contact with drivers before you step out. After dark, light-coloured clothing or reflective accessories help others see you.
The campaign. Starting October 12, the SAAQ is running a new phase of its "Un mort par jour" (one death a day) campaign, in which relatives of road victims tell their stories.
Good to know for newcomers. On November 1, the clocks fall back, and darkness comes even earlier on the way home. On Halloween night, lots of children walk through residential streets. If you come from a country with different right-of-way rules, remember this one: in Quebec, at a crosswalk, the pedestrian goes first.
