Imperial Valley press., 1919-02-07
CARELESSNESS OF
TRUCK DRIVERS
CAUSE ACCIDENTS

NEARLY third of a total of
elghty-three grade crossing accidents
on the Southern Pacific for the last
quarter of the year of 1918 involv-
ing automobiles and auto trucks
were caused by running or skidding
into trains instead of being struck
by trains" says r. J. Clancy, as
slstant to general manager.
"The character of these accidents
VS. as follows: Stalled on track,
Ae.ie; ran on track in front of train,
thirty-nine; ran into side of engine
or train, Twenty-Five; skidded into
side of train, five; ran into crossing
gates, five; ran into crossing flag
man, one; ran into cattle guard, one;
ran around switching, one.
"The fact that five crossing gates
and one crossing flagman, while
protecting vehicles and pedestrians
from passing trains, were struck by
automobiles would seem to indicate
degree Of Indifference to danger
on the part of some automobile driv-
erS above the ordinary.
"This condition in this respect are
further aggravated by the increas-
ing number of auto trucks and po-
tential derailment of trains from
striking same. At San Martin, Cal,
January 7, the engine, baggage and
mail cars and the forward trucks of
the smoker on passenger train No.
% were derailed, as the result of
striking a five-ton auto truck with
trailer. The crossing was provided
with standard warning signs from
point fifty feet distant from the
center Of the track. The driver of
the truck has clear vision in the di-
rection of the approaching train for
about thre-quarters of mile. The
expense to the company occasioned
by this accident was $4,000, and en-
ployes and passengers on the train
had narrow escape from injury.
The finding of the board of inquiry
was that the driver of the truck was
guilty of criminal carelessness, and
the board not only recommended that
action be instituted against the driv-
er, but that the legislature be pc
IiIlOllcu W cIldCC lcS SlSldClO1l WHICH
would require drivers of automobiles
or auto trucks to stop, look and list
en- before crossing the tracks of a
railroad at grade.
"Recently an engineer on the
Southern Pacific was severely burn
cd as result of striking an auto
truck loaded with crude oil. which
n4o1-, {o1
Gently a truck loaded with gasoline
crossed the track almost Immediately
in front of No. 78. The pilot beam
of the engine struck and broke off
faucet on rear of tank allowing gas
oline to escape The train was NOV
ing at speed Approximately forty
five miles an hour, land what would
have been very serious accident
was escaped by a mere fraction of
second.
"Drivers of auto trucks, automo-
hiles and other vehicles should real
iZe the danger attending the cross
ing of railroad tracks over which
at VARYING speeds trains are operated
in both directions throughout the
day and night. They should bear in
mind the Importance of determining
whether a train is approaching be-
fore attempting to cross. 1t should
be borne in mind that the momentum
Of fast moving train can not be ar
rested short of 1000 to 1900 feet,
depending on speed, weight of equip
ment, braking power, topography,
and conditions of rail, and that a
train moving at speed of fifty
miles an hour requires less than one
quarter Of minute to run e-fifth
of a mile"