The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-07-27
CAREFUL CROSSING
CAMPAIGN NOW ON
PUBLIC ASKED TO COOPERATE
WITH RAILROADS TO SAVE
CROSSING ACCIDENTS

The Careful Crossing Campaign"
now being carried on by the rail-
roads of the United States and Can
ada through their various Safety
Bureaus and other agencies. and sac
toned by the American Railway AS
sociation, is heartily endorsed bv the
United States Automobile Chamber
of Commerce, the National Highway
Traffic Association, the National
Safety Council, and numerous other
organizations and civic bodies. It
IS worthwhile and needed move
ment to conserve the lives and limbs
of those persons who use railroad
highway grade crossings and repre-
sents the most intensive and far
reaching ever attempted by the
railroads to conserve life and limb of
the general public beyond their en-
ployes, passengers and patrons, and
especially appeals to the drivers of
automobiles and to those entrusted
to their care (whether riding for
business or pleasure) the drivers of
teams and pedestrians. If those
persons enumerated, and for whom
the efforts of the campaign are es-
pecially directed, will do their part
toward smaking the efforts as sue
cessful as the railroads are trying
to make them, we will experience a
reduction in railroad highway grade
crossing accidents even greater than
we anticipate.
About one and one-half million
Careful Crossing Campaign" post
ers have been displayed all over the
countdy where the greatest number
of people may readily see them and
upon such posters the campaign slo-
gan "Cross rossings Cautiously" ap-
pears-an admonition which, if fol-
lowed, will solve the problem con-
fronting US.
Ask yourself the question: Why is
such VIGOROUS campaign to pre-
vent accidents on railroad highway
grade crossings necessary? and let
me give you the answer:
During thirty years ending De-
cember 81, 1921, our country's pop
ulation increased $50; railroad
highway grade crossing accidents
345%o in fatal accidents
and 652R in non-fatal accidents.
During 1920, 1907 persons were
killed and 1861 persons injured in
highway crossing accidents, an awful
toll of human life unnecessarily
sacrificed-it should not have been.
In 1920 automobiles were involv-
ed in 76%o of all grade crossing ac-
3O12 were struck, 1878
persons killed and 3977 persons in
iured in such accidents.
These figures are evidence enough
and convincing that the Careful
Crossing Campaign" is absolutely
necessary and that it should receive
the hearty and unreserved assist
ance and cooperation of every citi-
zen in the United States and Can
ada 1t must be successful-an in
dictment for manslaughter will lie
if it is not successful and the awful
1eath rate continue, when it is with
in the scope of human power and
ability to stop railroad grade eros
sing accidents and because it can be
so easily accomplished if proper
thought and care are exercised.
Self preservation" natures first
aw, makes such demands upon us,
We cannot shirk responsibility.
There are two definite ways to re-
luce railroad highway grade eros
ing accidents; first, to separate the
which. as far as possible
hould be done, but when we analyze
he situation, the impossibility of
uccess coming through such means
S apparent. There are approx
nately 251,9 ,939 highway grade eros
ings on the Glass |, Railroads of the
United States, and at a cost of $780,
100 to separate a single crossing, a
otal expenditure of about S12,500-
100000 would be necessary to elimi-
ate such crossings-impossible and
lmost beyond ones conception.
)uring 1919 there were 399 grade
rossings eliminated, but even at
his rate of separation it would take
20 years to separate all of the
rade crossings on Class l Railroads
/ the United States.
The second definite way to ma
srially reduce, if not entirely elimi-
ate railroad highway crossing ac-
idents, is to impress upon the minds
f those who use such crossings,
vhether in automobiles. driving
cams or on foot, that their lives,
mbs and happiness as well as the
YES, limbs and happiness of their
wed ones or others are at stake,
nd to act with this thought in mind
hen approaching railroad highway
1ances. "STOP, LOOK, LISTEN"