OTTAWA – Over half of nearly 20,000 hazmat related transport accidents in Canada are a result of "human" error, according to Dangerous Goods Accident Information System obtained by Canadian Press.

That’s reportedly three times more than "equipment," the runner-up factor, CP reports after obtaining the database under the Access to Information Act.

The leading causes of accidents, which include other transport mode other than highway vehicles were: Improperly loading, unloading and handling dangerous cargo, drivers losing control of their vehicles, and carelessness and negligence.

The number of incidents reported spans 20 years.

Government officials record accidents in the system when a spill or leak poses a danger to human health, property or the environment.

It is unclear from the report whether truck drivers, specifically, were at fault in a portion of those events. Statistics show that car drivers are overwhelmingly at fault in two-vehicle collisions with commercial trucks.

The report also focuses prominently on drugs or alcohol being a factor in some cases.

"Truckers hauling explosive or flammable loads have killed and badly injured people after getting drunk or stoned behind the wheel, " the lede sentence states.

Farther down in the article, CP reports that impaired drivers caused a grand total 21 accidents and 83 occurred after a driver involved fell asleep –- over the last 20 years.
The article does note that drug and alcohol testing is not mandated for Canadian truck drivers like it is in the U.S.

Canadian cross-border carriers must still subject drivers to drug testing in order to comply with U.S. policy, but at the same time also risk running afoul of Canadian Human Rights Commission rules.

Luckily, recent court decisions are making it easier for domestic fleets to legally conduct pre-employment drug testing of U.S.-bound Canadian drivers if they have sound employment policies in place.