Evening star., 1923-10-21
Crade-Crossing Gates Unable
To Stop Reckless Motorists
Indiana association Test ShOaus Many
Crash Through, Totally Ignoring
=, WatcK,man's Signals.

what is your opinion Of the auto
mobile driver who deliberately
ignores the stop warning of a rail-
road grade crossing watchman?
If so, what, then, Is your opinion OF
the same type Of driver who actually
crashes on through safety gates that
are lowered at a grade crossing?
These Inquiries are made by the
safety bureau of the Hoosier State
Auto Association. in continuing it's
statewide crusade for sane and
sensible driving everywhere in In
diana, and are based on information
supplied by railroad authorities. At
least one Indian railroad has instruct
q cd it's crossing watchmen to make
reports to the officials concerning
reckless drivers who fail to observe
even ordinary precaution before driv-
Ing on to. the tracks.
The superintendent of one big rail-
way~system, with headquarters in In
dianapolis. writes TO the Hoosier Auto
Association:
II am receiving reports on a regu-
lar form from our crossing watch
men in indianapolis of drivers who
fail to stop when they are signaled
and I have an arrangement with the
chief of police that he will send a
uniformed man to call on each vio-
lator.- i am sending him on an aver
age OF four day of such violations
However, there is only a small pro-
portion of the crossing men making
reports. This I know because of the
fact that one watchman alone re-
ports on an average of three viola
tions a day-and we have something
like one hundred watchmen.s We have
some very, narrow escapes daily and
occasionally some one gets caught. 1t
It not, uncommon to have them run
right through our gates, breaking
them--which proves pretty con-
clusively that some run blind and
lothers prefer to use their so-called
own judgment, regardless of any
crossing watchman or signals"
Proposed Law Unpopular.
It is the belief of the Hoosier Auto
Association that there would be a
real howl from all over the, state in
the event that law should be seri-
ousiy proposed making II compulsory
for all vehicles to come to a full stop
before crossing any railroad or in
terurban track in the state. The mo-
torists would class this as more thou
shalt not" legislation, 1t is believed.
to know that efforts have been made
in the past and are apt to be made
in the future to have such a law en-
acted. Such law would serve to put
tne ESSponSlOlilty. EOrg CROSSING &C.
cident ON the driver of the vehicle
and almost IL not entirely relieve the
railroad company from blame. it is
asserted. 1t is pointed out that this
might we'll serve to save many thou
sands Of dollars In damages now be-
ing paid by railroad companies in the
state.
"On the other hand" the Hoosier
association statement says. "it is
shown by daily and almost hourly re-
ports of fatalities at grade crossings
that there are entirely too many
drivers willing to take q chance on
committing suicide. 1t Is the minor
fly. therefore, which by its reckless
ness, is apt to put the entire body
polite of motorists under severe PEN
alties and restrictions. Not alone Is
this true as to grade crossings, but
In the matter of the rate OF speed, the
volume OF lights at night, and other
infractions of the laws OF common
sense and decency. II the era of
compulsory speed Limitation through
built-in devices comes then we can
tonly blame the crazy speed fiend. II
an era of other severe restrictions
comes, AZ II may, the 30 per cent will
aasfssx Ter the sins OF the 1 per cent.