Review targets the practice of making one worker handle both flagging and signalling duties
A Quebec coroner has issued 18 recommendations aimed at protecting the lives of traffic signallers following the death of a worker struck by a heavy truck at a construction site.
Coroner Arnaud Samson released the recommendations after investigating the death of a 60-year-old traffic signaller who was killed in Quebec City on July 6, 2024. The worker was directing traffic when he was struck by a heavy truck while simultaneously serving as both a traffic signaller and a construction site flagger.
Among the key recommendations, Samson suggests replacing traffic signallers with technological solutions such as temporary traffic lights. He also recommends prohibiting the use of traffic signallers in areas where speed limits exceed 50 km/h.
The coroner further recommends banning the practice of workers acting simultaneously as traffic signallers and construction site flaggers.
Samson also recommends that municipalities deploy police presence or photo radar in areas where traffic signallers are working “in order to ensure a level of safety consistent with the responsibilities incumbent on the managers of these public roads,” according to the coroner’s report.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2025.
