Woman in critical condition after traffic accident in Joliette

A woman was in critical condition Sunday after her vehicle left the road on Highway 31 northbound in Joliette, Lanaudière region.

At around 4:30 a.m. emergency services were called to a single-vehicle rollover accident. The driver, aged around 20, lost control of her vehicle for unknown reasons.

The vehicle then collided with a statue in the middle of the roundabout north of the Route 158 interchange.

The driver was transported with serious injuries. However, her condition was considered stable as of Sunday around 2 p.m.

“As she may have been impaired by alcohol at the time of the incident, steps were taken to collect blood samples,” Élizabeth Marquis, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), told The Canadian Press.

There was also a man in his 20s in the vehicle. He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. SQ officers will meet him when his condition permits.

An SQ reconstructor went to the scene on Sunday morning to determine the causes and circumstances of the accident. All lanes were reopened at 9:30 a.m

– This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 12, 2024.