The National Post reports in its Thursday, May 14, edition that on May 1 the United States and Canada agreed to implement about 400 pages worth of new standards that are intended to reduce the risk of transporting oil by rail. The Globe's guest columnists Kenneth Green and Taylor Jackson write that the new standards are wide ranging. The rail industry is mostly wary of the new rules' "aggressive" schedule for replacement/retrofitting of the rail car fleet. Mr. Green and Mr. Jackson question whether the new rules will increase safety. In a study of 237 rail accidents in the United Kingdom from 1945 to 2012, researchers found that human error was what most often led to accidents. That is something more regulation will be hard-pressed to completely eliminate. The Globe's guest writers believe pipelines are the safest method for transporting oil. They say oil transport by pipeline are associated with fewer incidents, fatalities and injuries per ton mile transported, when compared with rail and truck. While the new regulations may make some aspects of transporting oil by rail safer, it would be unfortunate if the proposed new rules divert us from the best way to move oil safely and efficiently to market.