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even improvements wouldn't protect them going 60, 70, 80. >> you just can't physically build a tank that can withstand that kind of impact speed. >> reporter: gary wolfe says trains are far safer than trucks. right now, the only alternative to shipping crude oil across the country. >> i don't think the average person wants to be driving next to a 75 mile an hour rig carrying crude oil down the highway 12 feet away from your automobile. >> reporter: some oil companies are using new technology like taking a laser snapshot of each wheel as it goes over each section of the track. they then compare that shape to federal standards to make sure it doesn't have too much wear and tear. that has contributed to about a 50% drop in accidents since say 2005-2006, and the interesting thing is, six, seven years ago, there were about 50,000 oil shipments a year. that number is now up to over 400,000 so the number of shipments going up, accidents actually going down. >> very interesting.