Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1948. LEVEL CROSSINGS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 32, 17 November 1948, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1948. LEVEL CROSSINGS

It has become the custom for the Minister of. Transport (the Hon. F. Hackett) to issue regular statements dealing with traffic accidents, their causes and results.It is very desirable that he should do so, because the attention of the public, particularly the motoring section, must be constantly focused on the dangers that are ever present. There are occasions when the public become tired of reading persistent warnings, but so far as the need for care pn the roads is concerned, they have to take it and like it. They have to do so for the reason that their lives and the lives of others depend on the exercise of constant care. So far this year no fewer than 166 persons have died in traffic accidents. Of this total, 11 were killed last month. In his latest statement, the Minister remarks: “An outstanding feature of October accidents was three level crossing fatalities. Accidents at a railway level crossing are always very serious, many resulting in a fatality. I wonder that drivers are not more careful, yet time and time again, I have seen motorists drive across railway tracks with hardly a cursory glance for approaching trains. The utmost care is required at these crossings. Slow down before you come to the crossing and then do not proceed until you are sure that the way is clear.” The Minister places responsibility squarely on the shoulders of drivers. But that is not enough. The history of level crossing fatalities in this country makes bad reading, and there is a duty on everyone, the Govern--ment included, to take every possible step to. minimise or even eliminate the danger. This is a matter which affects Ashburton as much as any other town in the Dominion. While drivers and the general public here are doing every day-what the Minister says they should do, the Railways Department is not doing all that it could do to afford local and visiting traffic the protection it is entitled to receive. For the sake of two minutes in the arrival and departure times of expresses from the south, much of the existing danger at level erosings hetc could be eliminated, but the Transport Minister places all the responsibility on the motoiist. There are warning bells admittedly, but a reduction in the speed of trains would be an additional safety measure.