Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-09-21
Some Interesting Facts.


ing Campaign, which vas started on
class one railroads in the United States
and Canada on June LIST, to continue
until September 3oth under the direc.
ton of the American Railway Asso.
citation, hfty-two of the largest rail.
roads Of the country made check
I'll automobiles passing over the
~>"s highway CO incs and
S'~-t" IL -, =, :S:,. -
- t,D'
e '-AJG. ...'.,.
-, -
= ....S CHECK, .l... as MAJ - ~
nection with the nation-v e ,ste:.
Crossing Campaign, an
ported that only =, - c
drivers failed to zen.
This is due, OFF,. .l.ere id be-
lieve, TO the int,rsi,, eI,.. nal cam.
paign the roa' Quoting for
safety at cross rs I, .nree years.
Another signih, act in the obser-
walton test was that % per cent of the
drivers of machines passing over Bal
timore and Ohio tracks looked in both
directions for the approach of trains.
On the 81 railroads that have reported
on the test, 20 per cent looked up and
down the tracks before going over
them.
The Careful Crossing Campaign is
an effort 10 educate drivers TO the ne
ceSsity of constant vigilance at rail
road grade crossings, and was just half
over when the check was taken. II
was the desire of the section to learn
if automobile drivers were really OBJ
serving the campaign slogan, "cross
crossings cautiously"
instructions were sent out from the
association headquarters so that the
check would be uniform on all rail-
roads. Two days were set aside and
the railroads were asked to make the
test at three places on the system
where there was comparatively heavy
traffic and where accidents were likely
! to happen when automobile drivers
acted carelessly.
In the two days test, little more
than 100000 machines were observed.
Cards we're furnished the observers
and they checked off each machine as
it passed and noted on the card, the
actions of the driver.
There were only 6,7OO drivers, or
aLcut 2 per cent, who actually oeeyed
the Injunction of the signs at the
crossings to stop" These 6,7OO
drivers got the best assurance posi-
BILE that they would not be struck by
a train that might have been APPROACH
ing.
There are many motorists who for
get that a train might approach in
either direction, for there were about
6, 900. or 20 per cent, Of The drivers
checked who looked only in one di-
rection This is regarded as danger
! Gus practise, for at times on double
track railroads trains might be, and
frequently are, operated in the re-
verse direction from the usual On
single track roads, of course, opera
ton in both directions on the same
track is the usual thing. Real safe
| ty, then, would be for the driver to
always look in both directions at all
crossings.
About the same number, 62,S29.
looked in both directions before cross
ing the tracks. On the Baltimore and
Ohio 2,174 drivers out of 3,457 took
this precaution.
The largest group was the $4,000
motorists who failed absolutely to cast
their eyes up and down the tracks in
an effort to prevent an accident, and
| il is this class that the railroads de-
sire to reach and urge safer conduct.
1t is not a difficult task for the motor
ist To do the same as he does in I'M
| cities at street intersections where the
! trolley cars operate. Few motorists
approach such intersections without
looking both ways for the approach OF
a trolley. yet out in the open coun-
try they disregard the safety measure.
The speeder also was watched close
". and of the 100000 motorists OBJ
served, 26,4O0 or nearly 9 per cent
were driving their cars 20 miles or
more per hour when they passed over
the tracks.
Courtney obtained the only berth