DEADLY CROSSINGS

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 March 1926, Page 5

DEADLY CROSSINGS

REPLY BY DEPARTMENT. RESPONSIBILITY DISCLAIMED. (Special to “Star. ’) WELLINGTON, Afarch 4. The appalling series of level-crossing accidents was the subject of comment by the Secretary to the Railway Board of Alanagement to-day. ■ The attitude of the Department towards the prevention or minimising of accidents favours the elimination of all level-crossings if such is possible, but finance will not permit the elimination of more than the most dangerous of them. Crossing-keepers, wigwags, bells, and warning signs are installed where roads and railways intersect, to asslist the road-user to keep clear of danger, but the onus is upon road users to protect themselves by complying with the law specially devised for their protection. The number of accidents iii the past few weeks called for searching examination of the position regardWg protection and control of level-crossings. The Government Rail ways Amendment Act, 1913, section 10, laid down that motorists should when approaching a railway crossing slacken speed when one hundred yards from the crossing to a. rate not exceeding 10 miles an hour, and should stop before coming into contact with the railway line. A vigilant look-out for passing trains is also demanded.

The Secretary of the Board stated that as far as he was aware, no instance was on record where when the law has been complied with any crossing accident has occurred. In view of the risk incurred, it was unwise to scout the law. Alotors were obliged to stop behind tramcars at a stop, and it was just as imperative, if not more so, that motorists should stop before negotiating a leygl-crossing to make sure the line was clear. All crossings are dangerous, even if there were an uninterrupted view or where the outlook was more or less_obscured. T’ho Railway Department is not legally responsible for any of these accidents, for it has the right of the road. Reasonable ness of the law was further vindicated by the fact that it was easier to stop a motor car than pull up a train. The Department was not morally responsible either if it gave reasonable notice of the existence of a crossing, as was done by signposts. If the public were led to believe that the Department was to blame, it would tend to make motorists more negligent, or at least, .feel a lessened sense of responsibility. The publicity given to the great deal of illinformed criticism lately tended to excuse motorists. A change of viewpoint was badly needed, if a real advence were to be made, solving the vital problem. Three years’ increase in accidents on level-crossings in New Zealand was from 23 to 111 between 1921 and 1924. During 1925, the number decreased from 111 to 91. The increase in the number of motor vehicles coincided with the increase in the number of accidents. The idea of complete elimination of crossings was out of the question. Crossings would only be made safe by motorists, and other road-users complying with the law. A safety cam 7 paign distributing and exhibiting posters and stickers was to be launched. The Department would carefully examine and test out all ideas submitted. Local conditions controlled the use and safety of self-closing gates and balanced booms as were m vogue in other countries. So far, the wigwag had proved successful. The De partment was shortly to try out the Pearson visual and auditory signal, bell and a pair of cross arms rotating in opposite directions giving warning of an approaching train- The inventor was a Wanganui man, and testing was the only vay l-j p/ore zifliciency or otherwise. MOTOR J STS’ DEMANDS. WELLINGTON, Alarch b. ' The North Island Motor Union conference, now sitting, discussed the level crossing problem, and passed a resolution condemning level crossings in future railway construction. Mr A. E. Jull, representing the Counties’ Association, said that tne Railway Department now showed a disposition to deal with the matter. He hoped that a satisfactory system would be found for order and elimination, and distribution of the cost. The Chairman (Air A. J. Toogood) said a lot of accidents were due to day-dreams at the wheel. People sometimes ran into danger in front of their 'eyes, owing to doing so sub-con-sciously. Air Jull said that cases had occurred in Canada in which the drivers had complied - with the law and stopped at a crossing, and then run into a train. Air C. AL Banks said crossings must be either bridged or cleared for a mile each side. Gates and other devices were mere waste of money.