Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1930. LEVEL CROSSINGS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 154, 11 April 1930, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1930. LEVEL CROSSINGS.

The occurrence of several level crossing* accidents within a lev days of each other —one attended by the loss of several lives —again directs attention to a serious problem, considered apart from any question of locale or actual liability ip the recent unfortunate happening's. The toll of the level crossing' continues to be heavy m spite of the precautions that have been taken, this state of affairs •arising* partly as the result of the speedier traffic by both road and rail brought about by modern conditions. Admittedly a percentage of the accidents must be attributed to neglect or lapse on the part of the victims, but even allowing for this there is still much responsibility attaching to the Railway Department. It is about twelve months since the introduction of new rules g>o venting; motor traffic on roads which cross railway lines, and so far as they have tended to the avoidance of accident they have been welcome, but they cannot be regarded as affording more than an expedient pending the introduction of better means of safeguarding life. The fact that many accidents are due to the neglect of reasonable precautions does not justify the existence of level crossings which are recognised by all as dangerous. The Department is, by law, entitled to prosecute the careless and. foolhardy, but it is not authorised to threaten them with maiming or death. Its “light of the road” is not absolute. Pedestrians, horsemen and road vehicles have a prior right to the road, and by no test of morals or logic can the Department establish a right to run its trains upon public roads without consideration of other traffic. If it insists that its trains cannot give way, its remedy is to take them off the highways, altogether, or where that cannot be done, provide such, safeguards for their passage that, even foolish and careless people—including aged pedestrians and young children—will be prevented from entering- the danger zone. The question is too serious to he decided by reference to the Government Railways Act, which was virtually dictated by the Department. The real test is'to regard the Department as a private company and to consider what would he the Government’s attitude to its demand for a. perpetual sanction of the three thousand level crossings. Would the Public Works Department allow a private company to construct a level crossing for every mile of line, or listen to complaints of the cost of avoiding- them? The ideal, of course, would be the elimination of all level crossings, but this is out of the question on the ground of finance. But there are certain crossings that should he removed without delay and in regard! tc others the responsibility o.f the Department is to do all possible to give good visibility on both sides, to see that regulations requiring- its employees to observe precautions are strictly observed, and especially to increase the safeguards at any crossings where the traffic is growing. This done, it may discharge in part its responsibility for keeping safe the level crossings that remain; hul above all and beyond all is the necessity for doing away with as many as is possible.