Often confused with Department of Transportation highway wardens or construction flags, highway wardens are really neither. Intrusion into their universe, unknown to the public.
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“Commercial vehicles are usually intercepted [de la petite voiture de livraison au grand train routier, en passant par les autobus et les taxis]whether they have committed a crime or simply to inspect them,” explained Marie-Josée Michaud, PR agent at Contrôleroute Québec, the organization that gave us direct access to their agents’ work for a few hours.
When we arrived at the Highway 40 checkpoint near L’Assomption earlier this month just before 9:00 am, an oversized heavy vehicle (excess length and width) requiring a special permit had already been made available for checks.
“Anything overloading, belaying, mechanical, these are violations that we see a lot,” Ms Michaud explained.
In this case, the driver was able to show a valid driver’s license for his truck, but the license plate was suspended due to a flat tyre, a situation that endangers the safety of road users. “To reactivate it, the owner must make the repair and have the mechanical inspection certificate we issued him during the intervention signed by a SAAQ agent who will physically ensure that the repair is made,” Ms Michaud said .
Simon Dessureault / QMI AGENCY
In patrol mode
We then got into a Quebec Roadside Control emergency vehicle with Stéphane Querry, a patrol officer, and Ms. Michaud for a little over an hour to get to know their work better.
First stop: the Point-du-Jour rest area further east, still on the 40, at Lavaltrie. Reason: Checking the number plates of parked trucks to identify any stolen vehicles.
It then went to an area that is known to be frequented by truck drivers who want to avoid the motorway checkpoint, i.e. the country roads away from the motorway.
Simon Dessureault / QMI AGENCY
“It’s forbidden for heavy vehicles, so we could see why they would drive by there,” said Stéphane Querry. Ultimately, we did not encounter any suspicious vehicles at this fork.
However, the end of this patrol held a surprise for us. The patrol car suddenly reversed to catch up with a light van in a parking lot in downtown L’Assomption.
“He didn’t have turn signals or brake lights on his trailer, it’s important even if it’s a light vehicle,” added Ms Michaud. And it has no position lights on the sides. There are many violations.”
education
Highway controllers are peace officers responsible for enforcing more than forty highway safety laws and regulations. In particular, they can intervene in the case of certain criminal offences, such as illegal driving, dangerous driving or a hit-and-run.
Their duties are therefore more like those of police officers – who are also peace officers – than those of road wardens or signallers.
To become a traffic controller, you must also complete and pass a 21-week course at the École Nationale de Police du Québec (ÉNPQ) in Nicolet.
Last July, 12 graduates were sworn in at the ÉNPQ, a step that formalizes their inclusion in the SAAQ teams, under the responsibility of the Contrôle Commandeur Québec. The organization has about 300 agents.