Questions relating to the transport of radioactive materials are very much an issue of
current interest due to the increasing mobility of the materials involved in the nuclear
fuel cycle, commitment to the environment, the safety and protection of persons and the
corresponding regulatory legal framework. The radiological impact associated with this
type of transport was assessed by means of a new data-processing tool that may be of use
and serve as complementary documentation to that included in transport regulations. Thus,
by determining the level of radiation at a distance of one metre from the transport
vehicle and by selecting a route, the associated impacts will be obtained, such as the
affected populations, the dose received by the most highly exposed individual, the overall
radiological impact, the doses received by the population along the route and the possible
detriment to their health. The most important conclusion is that the emissions of ionising
radiation from the transport of radioactive material by road in Spain are not significant
as regards the generation of adverse effects on human health, and that their radiological
impact may be considered negligible.