, 1923-10-17
Grade Accidents
Can Be Prevented
Increase Expected Because
of Larger Number of
Motor Vehicles.

prepared by the United States Department
of Agricultural
h bureau Of public roads of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture calls attention to the fact that
highway Embarrassing accidents con-
tinue to increase. The interstate COM
merce commission reports that in the
final quarter of 1922. SIT persons were
killed and ITO injured at grade
crossings, an Increase Of 10 fatalities
and 105 injuries in comparison with
the same period of the previous year
Similar increases are reported in 9TH
er quarters.
1t has been suggested that an in
crease Is to be expected since the
number of motor vehicles and high
way traffic is increasing, but this
should be the reason. for additional
preventive measures rather than sat
Isfactlon with the situation.
To Prevent Accidents.
There is only one safest way to
prevent accidents where highways and
railways intersect. That is by a com
plete separation of the grades by
means Of subways or viaducts. There
has been agitation for legislation in
a number of states to require all users
Of the highways to stop before cross
Ing a railroad track. A few states
have enacted such laws. The gen
eral application Of such a law COW
erlng all OF the railroad crossings In
any state leads to absurdities and I'M
accessory Inconvenience. For eX-
ample, one of the principal state high
ways leading west out of Raleigh, N.
C., where such a law Is in force,
crosses a branch line OF a railroad
running into the state fair grounds.
This switch track is used for only
a few days each year at the time of
the state fair, but under the law all
the traffic over one of the principal
highways In the state must stop at
his crossing 365 days per year.
Temporary Expedients.
Such laws should be regarded us
temporary expedients only. Hundreds
of branch line railroads carry only
a small percentage of the passenger
traffic now carried by the main line
highway which they cross. If either
traffic is to be halted ut the crossing
II should be the rail traffic. Right of
way is given the most important traf-
fc on the railroads. This is a fun
damental principle of operation, and
this same principle should be recog-
nized by the state in making any laws
with reference to stopping traffic Mt
railway and highway intersections. Un-
doubtedly trunk line railways should
be given right OF way. and the high
way traffic stopped, but branch line
railway traffic lies In a different cate
CORY entirely. The highway traffic
I'VE important state trunk lines should
not be stopped at branch line railway
crossings. Rather. the %infrequent
trains should be stopped before cross
ing such highways.
The agitation for stopping highway
traffic at railway crossings, however.
is having Its effect in rapidly crystal
LIKING public sentiment against all
grade crossings, and this will lead to
the only right solution Of the matter,
that is, the separation of the grades.
In the construction of federal-aid
roads the bureau of public roads has
adopted the policy Of eliminating
grade-crossings wherev'r practicable,
II possible by relocation, otherwise by
means Of an underpass or overhead
crossing and to this enc an engineer
ing investigation Is made Of every
crossing and a great many have al
ready been eliminated. Costly struc-
lures are required but there Is no
doubt that the policy has resulted in
the saving of many lives.