The Washington times., 1924-11-19
.RA|[ CROSSINGS
!. DISCUSSED BY
GOVERNORS
Proposals Are Made for Pro-
tective Measures by State
Legislatures
BY GEORGE d. TYSON,
international News Service.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Nov. ~.
The trend OF progress which has
discarded the. horse and buggy and
placed more than $4,000, 900 motor
vehicles upon the public highways
and increasing railway traffic,
1ecessitating more railroad cross
ings, makes 1t incumbent upon
State governments to take drastic
measures for the protection Of
pedestrians and the automobile pub
tic, according to opinion evolved at
the closing business session here
today Of the Sixteenth Annual Gov.
errors Conference.
The round table discussion Of
State legislation that would pro.
tect the motorist and the pedes-
TRAN was led by Governor Emmett
F.. Branch, Of Indiana, and Gov
ernor Claiming Cox Of Massa-
chusetts.
Governor Branch discussed the
subject in its relation to the motor
st and railway crossings.
Number Of Crossings.
There are 15,092,177 motor
vehicles in. this country, Governor
Branch said, and 256,352 railroad
crossings in the United States.
I'm 80 per cent of the grade
crossing accidents motorists are
Involved" he continued. ION the
average 1882 deaths are caused
each year, or an estimate Of thirty
casualties per day by railroad
crossings, not taking into consid.
GRAFTON the thousands Of persons
who are injured. This number il
increasing with appalling per
centage.
1T is estimated that by 1888
there will be 33,000,000 automobiles
in this country, and many million
more people: In the face Of these
figures it behooves the governors
and state legislators to get busy
! and pass measures that will safe.
guard the lives of people"
Measures Suggested.
Governor Branch suggested the
following measures:
i. Elimination Of railroad
crossings where possible.
3. Elimination OF Instructions
to the view Of railway cross
ings.
3. Installation OF flash lights
&C railway crossings.
I. Adoption Of law forcing
! motorists to stop at ali dan
/ gerous railroad crossings.
5. Teaching Of safety first
in public schools.
6. Creation OF a commission
Of public safety in each state
to study the problem and
recommend legislation, the COM
missioner of this department to
have charge Of a State motor
police to enforce the public
safety laws.
Governor Cox said the pedestrian
has the primary and chief right II
the use of highways and is en-
titled to protection in using them.
Other Proposals.
The establishment Of a statute Of
a State speed limit, the strict en-
torcement Of thorough examinations
Tor drivers, the forcing Of drivers
to take out liability policies with
$4,000 and $10,000.dollar limits for
personal injuries or death, and
, $1;0O0-dollar limit for property
damage, the establishment Of o
board Of appeal to hear cases ir
which persons are refused Insurance
or bond, and a minimum com
/ pulsory jail sentence for driver
convicted Of operating car while
intoxicated, were among the sug
gestions made by Governor Cox FOR
reducing the motor vehicle fatality
list.
Many Of the executives left the
meeting with the declaration that
they were going to map out public
safety measures for presentation Ia
the next meeting of their respective
legislatures.