The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-21
SAFETY PLAN FOR CHILDREN
Campaign to Have school Buses Stop
Before Crossing Tracks.

An effort is being made to have all
states adopt a~plan tried with great
success in California that would pre-
vent injury and death to children who
ride to and from school in automobile
buses and have occasion to pass over
railroad track.
In many communities buses are
provided to pick the children up at
designated points and take them to
school. In view of the many accidents
that are occurring at railroad grade
crossings, it is felt that unusual pre-
cautions should be taken to prevent
injury to.the children. The state fed
eral commission. of California recently
issued the following general order,
which went into effect Immediately.
1T is hereby ordered that all trans
portation companies as defined in Sec
ton 1, paragraph C. of Chapter 213,
statutes of 1917 and amendments
thereto, be and they are hereby re-
CURED to stop each and every stage
engaged in the transportation of pas
sengers before crossing the tracks of
any steam OF electric interurban rail-
road, such Stop to be made not less
than fifty 600 feet nor more than
.seventy-five (75) feet from the nearest
rail of the railroad over which the
highway crosses. After making the
stop hereby required, the driver or op-
orator of the stage shah carefully
look in each direction for approaching
cars or trains and shall not start his
stage until it has been aseeFtained
preaching the crossing in either direc-
ton.
THE foregoing rule shall not apply
in connection with the operation of
passenger stages within municipalities
as regards operation over the tracks
of electric OF other street railroads"
The state superintendent of educa-
ton of California went a step farther
He recommended that all school
boards and principals Of schools pro-
mitigate an order that, when the
buses stopped as required by the gen
eral order of the state railroad COM
mission, the teacher accompanying the
pupils, or one of the pupils themselves,
should go to the crossing and make
sure that no train was approaching
and then signal the bus or stage to
proceed.
At meeting of the Committee of
Prevention of Grade Crossing Acct
dents. Safety Section, American Rail-
way association, a few days ago in
Chicago, J. T. Broderick, chairman
of the committee, and superintendent
of the safety department of the Balti-
more & Ohio railroad, was delegated
to get in touch with all railroad and
public utility commissions in the ceun-
try, with school authorities and others
in an endeaYor to have similar orders
adopted in all states. The railroad
authorities are most anxious to pre-
vent injury to the young folks on their
way to school, and feel that extreme
caution on the part of drivers of auto
mobiles will be a sure preventive.
Isaiah Hale safety superintendent
of the Santa Fe, is a member of the
Safety Section of the American Rail
way association and was present at
the Chicago meeting when this matter
was discussed. He believes there will
be a ready response to the communi-
cations which Broderick has sent to
railroad and public utility commits
sions. to the United States director of
education and others