Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-06-09
'AUTOETS FORGET
RAILROAD WARNING
Tests Prove Motor Drivers
Are to Blame for Majority
Of Crossing Accidents

Statistics covering the actions Of
1900 drivers al railway ersssinszs gath
sercd 5y the SoEfheFn Pacific railroad.
SHOW these csmI4risSEss
PiEe hundred ard tuenty five driT-
Ter. smashed through the gates when
itheF we're down Al the crossings Sad
Ithe bells we're ringing a warning.
SIXTY siRs and ore half per eest Of
tine 3S90 drivers observed looked seth
leF 70 the left nor right.
I've and seven rsnths per eeAt took
lthe pzin. 70 look both wzys
Twenty seven and eight tenths ger
isezf hooked one way along the track
NiHeteen and three feEtks per cent
0f 559l ears, dashed over the track at
a. reckless speed.
Only s. drivers Of the 10000 stop
ped their machines before crossing the
tracks TO make sure that no trains were
approaching.
Motorists have had the word eau
ti0n drilled ints then % constantly
THAT familiarity has bred more or less
IesnfeMpt for the wOrd- But this con
ditioz j. exceedingly dangerous, and
the driver who Obeys the stop. Look
and Listen, warning has a mueh bet
ter ehanee Of getting home in one
piece than the driver who blHnders On
ahead On the theory that il is up TO
the ether fellow to get ont OF has way.
When . railroad rain shoots past
grade crossing. where Is the nlOtOrist
who would not rather have them say
of him. There he stands thzH 10
have item remark IN sad tones, That's 4
where be was. and indicate the lat I
ter spot in the AeWzpzpers by an ar
row35i
Some tests recently made in a west I
ern city with an automobile and
railroad train demonstrate Just why the
m0torist must watch the railroad cross
ing and not leave the burden to the
man in the cab or TO a watehman that
may or NAV not be On duty. A l0e0mo
tive and eight coaches, making total
train weight Of J0,00e pounds, were
used in the tests. Railroad officials
used this number Of coaches a. being
the length OF the average train
Coaches Aid locomotive
A surprising feature OF the demon
stratioR was statement made by one
Of the railroad officials, that may
surprise many laymen, namely, THAI a
locomotive hauling coaches can stop
more quickly than an engine running
free
The first test was made at so miles
an hour, and the train came TO a stand
in 1900 feet. This speed, although equal
ed bv many on the highway, IS an ex-
eeption. and to make the comparison
more practical. no similar test was
made with the automobile. Following
are the distances required TO stop the
train and ear at different speeds. i
Forty miles an hour-MotOrcar, y
feet; train. 9e9 feet. \;
Twenty five Hniles an h0ur-Mot0r-
car, I2 feet; train, j00 feet.
Fifteen miles an hOur-AotOreaE,
feet; train, 800 4eet u
The test proves the general propo- |
sition that the automobile driver il
the one who has it in his power to !
avoid crossing accidents if he takes /
even small precautions II
WatchfHlnezs or Eternity
Railroads are beginning their sum :
mer campaigns to reduce the number !
Of automobile accidents at. crossings
One corporation is distributing along Z
rs lines a large poster which Is illus /
trated with scene on country road :
side showing an automobile about to Z
rush before a passenger train. Above Z
the picture are these wsFds, When /,
r0u approach a railroad crossing every .
heartbeat may bring you nearer to eter- j
you stop, look and listen .
The railroad also plans 10 distribute
100000 warning circulars to automo-
,ile owners through the offices Of see !
ctaries Of state.