Welcome to the PSAM 18 Abstract Status page.
Abstract MA287Full Paper + Presentation
Study of Large Truck Accident Statistics in Canada to Support Radioactive Material Transport Regulations
Study of Large Truck Accident Statistics in Canada to Support Radioactive Material Transport Regulations
M. Kumar1, J. Ramsay2, I. Tremblay2
1Vysus Group
2Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)
In Canada, there are approximately 760,000 shipments of radioactive material that are conducted on an annual basis, involving 900,000 packages and a total activity of about 1,700,000 TBq. Type B packages are involved in 34,500 shipments and transport 97% of the total activity. To better understand the risks associated with the transport of Type B packages, Vysus Group performed an assessment for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) of the probability of truck/trailer accidents in Canada which could lead to potential safety consequences. Since accidents involving radioactive material shipments are very rare, it was assumed that the distribution of accident probabilities would be similar to that for regular types of large truck shipments. The assessment was therefore conducted using general transport accident data on large truck accidents that occurred in Canada and Ontario in 2011-2020. Accident event trees were developed, and probabilities based on contributing factors, accident type and vehicle damage severity were obtained. The year-to-year data remained consistent throughout the 2011-2020 time period, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. Of the accidents that led to some degree of vehicle damage, the vast majority of large trucks were only moderately or lightly damaged, which would be unlikely to pose challenges to the integrity of a Type B package. The most prevalent contributing factors were driver-related, such as driver inattention, improper passing or driving too closely; only a small fraction of all accidents studied in this report occurred due to the drivers being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Hence, one of the main keys to minimizing the probability of accidents involving large trucks is strict regulatory requirements on truck drivers and their training. The analysis showed that probabilistic methods can be used to deepen the understanding of radioactive material transport safety.
← Check another abstractM. Kumar1, J. Ramsay2, I. Tremblay2
1Vysus Group
2Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)
In Canada, there are approximately 760,000 shipments of radioactive material that are conducted on an annual basis, involving 900,000 packages and a total activity of about 1,700,000 TBq. Type B packages are involved in 34,500 shipments and transport 97% of the total activity. To better understand the risks associated with the transport of Type B packages, Vysus Group performed an assessment for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) of the probability of truck/trailer accidents in Canada which could lead to potential safety consequences. Since accidents involving radioactive material shipments are very rare, it was assumed that the distribution of accident probabilities would be similar to that for regular types of large truck shipments. The assessment was therefore conducted using general transport accident data on large truck accidents that occurred in Canada and Ontario in 2011-2020. Accident event trees were developed, and probabilities based on contributing factors, accident type and vehicle damage severity were obtained. The year-to-year data remained consistent throughout the 2011-2020 time period, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. Of the accidents that led to some degree of vehicle damage, the vast majority of large trucks were only moderately or lightly damaged, which would be unlikely to pose challenges to the integrity of a Type B package. The most prevalent contributing factors were driver-related, such as driver inattention, improper passing or driving too closely; only a small fraction of all accidents studied in this report occurred due to the drivers being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Hence, one of the main keys to minimizing the probability of accidents involving large trucks is strict regulatory requirements on truck drivers and their training. The analysis showed that probabilistic methods can be used to deepen the understanding of radioactive material transport safety.