The Washington times., 1919-08-02
URGESAUTOISTSTO
HEED SAFETY FIRST

1 sun IA AAll "ag ECdHOH tndL
ises to eclipse any Of those OF past
years, 1t is up to all motorists to use
! common sense in helping eliminate
, accidents and decrease the number of
| fatalities that are nine times out OF
ten entirely unnecessary and could be
avoided IL the driver exercised judE.
| ment instead OF cArelesBness," says G..
! a. Kissel, president Of the Kissel No
tor Car Company.
Because they are in q vehlcte that
| can speed up to sixty or seventy miles
en- hour, owners sometimes forget the
caution they used to exercise when
walking. At that time In crossing At
. street corner they first looked up
and down to see IL the coast was clear.
4 II an automobile or motor truck was
rapidly approaching half block away
they would stop and wait for Il to
pass. It IL instinct that warns one to
| play safe and to wait for the heavier
| body to pass before attempting, to
cross. Everybody knows there Is
nothing TO be gained by taking
chance to save q few seconds.
Recently the writer was on Q train
that hit runaboat, wrsckInG the car
and instantly killing the two oecu-
pants. From the position OF the
| wrecked car and the bodies it could
be plainly seen that the locomotive
must have thrown them At. least 10
feet over fence that divided the neld
/ from the road. The car was a COM
| plete wreck and both of the men were
horribly mutilated.
should Have Seen Frain.
/ The train backed up to the scene
| OF the disaster and several occupants
Of the rear coach called attention to
the fact that for at least half mile
on both sides of the railroad in the
| direction which the road ran the
\ ground was nat with very little trees
I or shrubbery to hide the approach OF
the train. Any motorist approaching
the railroad in either direction on
| this road could not help but see the
train at least 4 quarter of a mile
| away.
1t was apparent that the driver OF
/ the wrecked car thought he could
beat the train 10 1t, and instead OF
| slowing up and stopping. as he should
have done and as nine out OF ten mo-
| torists do when they actually see a
| train approaching, he probably step
| ped on her with the one idea OF max
! ing the crossing before the train.
For some years past different mo-
/ clubs and civic associations have re-
peatedly called attention to the dan
gers of motorists in eliminating un-
| necessary risks when approaching
| railroad crossings. Most of the rail-
roads have done everything possible
to protect these crossings by not only
putting up signs at least 100 yards up
the road in both directions from the
crossing. but also automatic warning
| signals, such as q bell ringing in the
daytime when the train is approach=
I fmer nd red ,IfRhf Rf night for thu
same purpose. i
Such Rlsks Unnecessary, J
! such risks are entirely 1nneces-
avoided by all motorists. When you
| zee the little round sign with the big
| letters r. r. on it, or the warning
| Railroad Crossing - Caution - Slow
| Up or 'Stop-Look-Listen, or any OF
| he slogans the railroads have adopt
| ID to attract the attention Of motor
ists, IL is up to drivers to heed them
| nd get their cars under control.
at Is the best plan to come to a full
stop. and If the approach TO the rail- |
Dad is hidden by high enbankment
,r by trees or shrubbery the motorist |
should adopt-the same precaution the
| street car companies do in sending
conductors up to the track ahead of
| he car to look up and down in both |
directions before giving the high |
sign to come ahead or stay where !
7ou are. Such good judgment on the |
Motorists part will mean a loss of
pnly a few minutes at the outside, |
md he will have the satisfaction of
| moving that nothing can happen to |
lim or the occupants OF his car.
Use Common Sense.
Indeed, ] think it is up 10 every |
automobile association and automo- |
bile club. as well as other civic bodies |
o further impress upon their mem |
bers and the members upon their |
! 'riends the necessity of using good |
,ommon sense in this matter Of ap- |
| proaching railroad crossings. If mo- !
orists do not exercise this judgment |
! I'll the precautions taken by the rail- |
roads will be in vain. So let US all !
| help in reducing fatalities by stop !
ping, looking and listening.
1.-THE automobile Of today has been |
developed to the highest point of en-
gineerinE and mechanical develop |
nent. Brakes are designed and con- |
structed TO give instant action when |
applied The motors are sufficiently |
powered to take all grades. Their |
iexibility inEures q quick getaway |
where sudden power is needed: aXles /
nd frames are usually overstrong to
esist strains.
Take it all in ALL the automobile
manufacturer has done more than his
hare in making his product 100 per
ent efficient, and II the automobile
driver or owner will exercise judg-
ment in driving and controlling 1t, the
country will be rid OF all fatalities"