The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-06-07
SAVING LIVES.

eral people were killed at a railroad
crossing, the automobile in which
they were riding being struck by a
fast passenger train on the railroad.
AS suggested by the Greenville News,
the accident is one which might oc-
cur almost any day, because there
are many such crossings in the state.
It is only because of the care and
foresight of people generally that
there are not more of these accidents
Perhaps in some instances the acci-
dents might be prevented if people
in automobiles used ordinary care
for their own protection. But in
many cases the accidents occur not
withstanding the use of all necessary
and proper precautions.
The accident at Union was caused,
it seems, by the fact that the auto
mobile stopped on the track of the
railroad while the crossing was be-
ing made. The train may not have
been in sight. If the driver of the car
had stopped, looked and listened"
it is possible that he may not have
discovered the fast-coming train, be-
cause it must be considered that a
train which runs forty miles an
hour, goes ITO yards every ten
minute, or nearly 20 yards each
second. In ten seconds the train
would cover a distance Of 200 yards,
in thirty seconds it would cover dis
tance of third of mile. The occu-
pants of a car which stops on a
railroad track could hardly be ex-
pected to leave the car in thirty Sec
onds, so that if a train were within
a third of a mile of them at the time
the car stops, a collision is unavoid-
able. Again a driver who stops his
automobile and the engine on ap-
preaching a crossing does not there
by secure himself against danger. By
the time the car is cranked and
started, and the change made from
low, to intermediate gear and then
to high gear, train may run sever
al hundred yards, and it may be up
on the automobilist seeking to make
the crossing before the crossing can
be cleared.
1t is for the reason that collisions
are inevitable so long as we have
grade crossings that The Press and
Banner concurs with suggestions of
the Greenville News that all such
crossings should be eliminated. 1t
will cost something, to be sure, to
do this, but the railroads and the
public may each assume a part of
the cost and profit by the expendi-
ture. The saving of a dozen lives
in the state within a twelve month,
or even one-half that number,
should be considered by both par
ties amply repayment for all ex-
penditures for the purpose.
In the meantime the railroads
and the county authorities of the
several counties should take pre-
cautions to see that accidents at
crossings are reduced to a mini
mum, and looking to that end, all
grade crossings should be kept in
proper repair. A rough crossing
may at anytime cause an automo-
bile engine to stop, or some part of
the car to become broken, with a
resulting accident. The crossings
should be kept open to the train
men and to the public so that the
one may discover a coming auto
mobile just as the other may see
the oncoming train.
And it would not be too much to
ask that the railroad commission
spend some of it's time in inspecting
all grade crossings in the state,
especially on roads with fast
trains, with a view to having these
crossings made safer for the pub
lie. There are crossings which are
veritable death traps and all such
should be condemned by the Rail-