A Quebec coroner is once again calling for improvements to Highway 50 after a head-on collision late last year. Coroner Martine Lachance, in a recent report, found that the death of a 71-year-old Boisbriand man was due to the highway’s lack of physical separation between lanes.
The incident occurred on Dec. 26, 2025, near Brownsburg-Chatham in the western Laurentians. The victim was a passenger in a car traveling west on Highway 50, also known as Autoroute Guy-Lafleur.
The coroner’s report revealed that the driver was going 111 km/h in a 100 km/h zone when she was blinded by oncoming headlights. This caused her to lose control, hit the right-side guardrail, and veer into the eastbound lane, where the car was struck by a van on the passenger side.
Weather and road conditions were not factors in the crash, with dry pavement and good visibility. Police inspections confirmed no mechanical issues with the vehicle. The absence of a central median or guardrail allowed the vehicle to cross into oncoming traffic.
Earlier this year, two coroners highlighted nine other fatalities from collisions on Highway 50, emphasizing the risks of its continuous road design. While some sections have been upgraded, Coroner Lachance urged immediate action to enhance safety by installing median guardrails to separate traffic and proceeding with planned widening projects to make the road four lanes. These measures are crucial to prevent further tragedies.