The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-22
CAR NOT AT FAULT
Most Crossing Accidents Due to
Fright, Says Claim Agent.
Drivers Step on Brakes Instead
of the AcceIeratOr.

Automobile drivers who meet with
misfortune on railway crossings ar1
confined largely to women and old
men drivers, according to Bert Miller
Santa Fe claim agent here. The more
or less mysterious circumstances OF
motor cars coming to a dead stop on
crossings just ahead of moving trains
is explained by Mr.. Miller as not due
to any fault OF the cars mechanism.
1T is due to sudden fright. The
natural impulse of a driver, especially
one of brief experience. is in case OF
Imminent dlhger. to stop the car
Mr.. Miller said. Possibly the dr1v-
er's intention is to stop before reach
ing the track. using poor judgment as
to the distance within 'hich the car
may be brought TO a stop. The most
driver becomes confused and instead
of stepping o. the accelerator and
rushing out Of danger. makes the fatal
mistake of stepping on the emergency
brake"
Mr.. Miller cited a recent instance
of a man and woman killed by a fast
train at Reading. Kan, when their
automobile stopped dead on the track
while the locomotive was about 100
feet distant.
The woman was driving and wit
nesses say when she discovered the
approa ching train. she Strengthened
out as tho in an attempt to pull the
car back. The car was travelling at
ten Twelve miles ElOuT anu WOuAu
have crossed the track safely had not
the driver become terror stricken"
said Mr.. Miller
"A similar case occurred recently,
but the train was further away. Sec
ton men working on the crossing
pushed the car back off the track SO
that the only damage was the loss of
one front wheel and a fender. The
woman became apparently helpless
from fright.
Gases of drivers running into
trains are not uncommon. In re-
cent case a motor car struck the
twelfth car back from the engine
of a freight train.
The driver told me he did not see
the train" Miller related. He said
his attention was attracted by two
Mexicans engs ged in a fight nearby"
Tourists Seldom Hit.
A peculiar fact, Mr.. Miller declared,
is that the great majority of railway
crossing accidents occur on crossings
where the view of the approaching
train is unnbstructed. In case the
view is O6structed the driver takes
the natural precaution to Took out for
the cars" Tourists. unfamiliar with
the road, he said. seldom ever meet
with a railroad crossing accident.
THE tourist driver is all eyes,"
Miller continued. He instinctively
keeps an eye on the road ahead and
at the same time wants to take view
thing he always is on the lookout for
is a railroad crossing. When he sees
one ahead, he governs himself &C
cordingly.
'-The majority of crossing accidents
occur to drivers who are perfectly
familiar with the road. In many
cases they are farmers who are SO
well acquainted with the surroundings
that they know at what time the
trains pass. and think it isn't neces-
sary to look for trains at any other
time"
A new electric safety device, oper-
ated automatically by the approaching
train consists of a ringing alarm and
a red pendulum which swings back
and forth on the crossing signal post.
"A woman drivers car was dam
aged by running on the track while
this signal was ringing and waving
her back Mr.. Miller said. Later
asked her II she did not both see and
hear the danger warning. She said
eEIrhatically: Yes. I both saw and
heard that thing, but did not know
what it was there for"