The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-02-13
5000 KILLED
IN FIVE YEARS
AT CROSSINGS
Staggering Losses and In
crease Result in Safety
First Proposals
BIG ECONOMIC LOSS
Railroad Commission Points
Out Necessity of Joint Ac-
ton to Prevent Increase
BIG ECONOMIC LOS
BY State Railroad Commission.

BY state Railroad Com mission
In this age of steam, gasoline and
electricity and Of severe competition,
we travel much faster than any of
our forbears ever dreamed were pos
sible. unless it was Jules Verne. In
desire to meet the public demand
for quick service and in competing
with each other for business, rail
roads and increase the tractive pow
cr of their locomotives to obtain
greater speed. The automobiles, witt
their many horse powered engines,
are built for speed and thus demand
the construction Of highways to per-
NIT them to travel rapidly.
The very demands of these two
1eans of modern transportation nee
ssarily place lives in jeopardy. This
illustrated by the Federal record
{ the past five years, which shows
hat Sc per cent of casualties were At
trade crossings, in which 9,101 per-
;ons were killed and "a 008 were in
ured, occurred to persons occupying
automobiles.
These staggeringly large figures
epresented such q large economic
taste, to say nothing of the suffer
ng and misery involved, that this
ubject has become one of nationa,
oncern, and caused the North Da.
iota Railroad Commi ssion to make a
very careful investigation into the
causes of this class of accidents with
in the state, with a view of seeing
what could be done in remedial
way to reduce the number for the
benefit of it's citizens.
First Remedy.
Naturally the first remedy, and the
only positive one, which springs into
mind is the elimination of these
grade crossings, but upon reflection
it is not a practical one because n
this country there are quarter OF
n million of them (of which about
1000 are in North Dakota), and their
elimination would cost over ten bill
lion dollars, an early expenditure OF
which would bankrupt both the states
and the railroads.
AlltT NUMEROUS lIlNcSllBdIlOHS vi
serious specific cases we were forced
to the conclusion that what automo-
bile drivers needed most was to be
educated to a better appreciation of
the existing hazard and thereby be-
come impressed with the desirability
with their cars under such control
as would avoid danger of collision.
We reached this conclusion because
we found by Analysing carefully pre-
pared automobile accident statistics,
that 90 per cent of the grade cross
ing accidents in the Northwest were
primarily caused by lack of neces-
sary precaution by automobile driv-
ers, that 80 per cent of them occur
red in broad daylight, many when
weather conditions were ideal, and
many where the railroad crossing
signs were plainly visible for con-
siderable distance and where the
drivers had an unlimited, unobstruct-
ed view in all directions.
Campaign of Education.
The Commission therefore decided
to put on an indefinite term cam
paign of public education, which it
began last November by issuing II
number Of attractive and conspicu
Gus notices in white blueprint form
in sufficient quantities to provide
copies to be posted in garages, oiling
stations, hotels, postoffices, large
stores and clubs of various kinds,
and had them thrown upon screens
ing moving picture houses. The
press, the pulpit and the public
schools splendidly CO. operated in Civ
ing the campaign all possible state
wide publicity
That this campaign has served
good purpose is evidenced by the
fact that automobile accidents at
abroad grade crossings during the
rst nine months of this year, as COM
AIRED with the same period in 1921,
educed 80 per cent, while the num-
)er of licensed automobiles increas-
I'd approximately 10 per cent.
There is now pending before the
commission several applications for
ell signals or other safety devices
grade crossings. Hearings have
cen held and careful Investigations
nade by the Commission and in
ONE instances the railroads have
zen required to install bell signals.
rhe Investigations made by the Com
Mission clearly show that the install
alton of bell signals or even gates
at grade crossings will not prevent
accidents. Drivers Of automobiles
and other vehicles must realize the
danger of crossing railroad tracks
without first taking the precaution
to "Stop, Look and Listen"
In its annual report to the COVER
nor the Commission has recommend
ed legislation upon this subject. We
Feel that law should be passed re-