The Topeka state journal., 1922-05-27
BIC DRIVE June |
Railroads VIII Stage a Scare
fuI'' Crossing Campaign.
Public Is Urged to "CrOss Cross
ings Cautiously

Under the auspices of the American
Railway association. there will be in
augurated on June 1, and continuing
to September 80, 1922, a Careful
Crossing Campaign" its slogan being
Gross Crossings Cautiously" having
for its purpose the prevention OF or
reduction in the number OF highway
crossing accidents involving railroad
trains. vehicles and pedestrians, thru
out the country.
Cooperation in the plan has been
assured by the United States Auto
mobile Chamber Of commerce. the
National Highway Traffic association,
national Safety Council and numer-
Gus other organizations
Such a campaign is necessary and
timely, as shown by the following
facts: In thirty years the country 5
population increased 6S per cent
Crossing accidents increased S45 per
cent in fatal and 652 per cent in in
Jury cases In 1929 automobiles were
Involved in rs per cent of all crossing
accidents. During that year, 1871
persons were killed death resulting in
tvventy-four hours and 5,O77 injured; /;
of the latter number, 116 died subse-
quently from injuries sustained at rail-
road crossings within the United
States.
Can't Eliminate Crossings.
There are two ways to reduce or en-
tirely stop such accidents The flrst
in the public mind is, elimination OF
the crossings This is impossible.
There are 251.939 highway crossings
on Glass / railroads alone (revenue
of over S1,0O0,OOO annually in the
United States. OF this number. 399
were eliminated during 1919. At the
same rate of elimination It VIII take
629 years to dispose of these crossings
if no more are added All the men
and money available would not be
sufficient to remove these crossings
in life time
Conservative estimates OF the aver
age cost of elimination fixed the fig
urc at approximately $50.OOO per
crossing This means $12, SOC, ,OOO, 600.
1t is evident the immediate question
must be met by a method other than
the elimination of the crossings. which
latter wcrk will undoubtedly proceed
as circumstances permit. Apparently
the solution of the problem can be
found in education. This education
railroads and the public 1t is the
duty of the railroads to keep the
crossings in good condition for travel
give reasonable notice of the exis-
tence of such crossings; and see to
It that the railroad. employees do their
full duty in warning of the approach
of trians.
Roads Use 1t Effectively.
The railroads have learned the
value of organized effort for safety
thru the TeuuCllOn OF uealnS OA CHI
lltoyes on duty from 4.354 in 1907 to
2.57S in 1920. Notwithstanding a larger
force of employees in service during
the latter year. Railroad employees,
as a whole. have unquestionably at
tanned n higher degree of care in the
performance of their duties
AS education in and discussion of
safety matters are responsible for the
gratifying results obtained in en-
pIoye cases. it is logical to assume that
education of the travelling public to
the exercise of a high degree of care
when approaching and passing over
railroad crossings, will likewise have
good effect in reducing crossing ac-
cidents
While it is true the railroads have
a direct interest in checking these
ofttimes most distressing accidents, yet
in the first and last analysis II is the
public itself which suffers the pain,
the mutilation. and the passing to the
great beyond. in addition to bearing
the financial burden.
The railroads feel warranted in eX-
pecting that right-thinking people
thruout the land lend their actual and
moral support to this humane and
1amfla E1e rau0naiEu-