Document RpqXLG20j6y5dD3O82B2Nv5Ln

412 Twenty-first Congress--National Safety Council in the stress of economy it has l>een necessary drastically to restrict all expenditures, and dark because the economic depression kept our backs and shoulders bowed to the rturro which has raped armm<I u--but during all this stress, you gentlemen of the Safety Section have carried the banners of safely and safety first flying, and your shock tr<*ip$ have ticen supjHirtinp and defending tliem and there has been no let-up. While tlterc have Urn let-ups in rthcr directions, there has been no !et-up in this safety movement, wen with your depleted forces. N*w. a> wc approach the crest f the hill, the slogan "33 by *3.V floats down to ur oars from the llir*ats of thousands whose lives have Iiecn spared by the drive for safety. J see the light growing clearer altcad and as we lift our heads and throw lurk our shoulders. 1 see a smoother, broader, lighter pathway with more moderate slope stretching away to the green meadow* above. The storm clouds are breaking, the warm rays of the >roi are gradually coming through; doubt and despair are itrariiic their end. TUESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION October 4. 1932 Report of Committee on Prevention of Highway Crossing Accidents By H. A. ROWE Manager, Claims Department, Delaware. Lackawanna & Western Railroad. New York City Tin* >md it part: Thv Cimmittcc is again gratified u U able t.-> announce a further rnhiiliiiti oi grade cri**ms; accidents, fatalhie*. and injuries in I'M! as compared with Tim* wv luve lud three consecutive years >u' progress in the curbing of cr*?>inu era>;?, the records i*ehig as follows: J'^J. total accidents 4.100. killed l.Kil. injured 2,'57: l,J3n. accidents 4.8r3. killed 2.020. injured 5,?17: and in jfuTr v.a* a slight reduction. The year 1928 wa* the jwak vc?r in railroad erossinc fatalities, since which time the reduction of surli fatalities lias Iweii 757 prr year, the 1931 record being hut on*.* more killed than in 1**22. when the careful crossing campaign was inaugurated. The Miu*t:inding accomplishment oi musing accident reduction can he licttcr grasjwd wiirn we note that nvp*r vehicle fatalities on streets and highways in 1922 were 13/7o l<m iu 1931 titerr was an increase of 18.913 deaths or 1.39 per cent. During thi* -ar.ic lO-year ]n*ri`*d there was an increase nt Imt nc death at railroad crossings. A very imjwirtant feature of the rontmrtlee work has lecn the careful crossing campni^n which ius commut'd t<< enlist the interest and cooperation of many organi zation* and the general public. Thi* lias leeu furthered by general publicity. the regular j-^Icts initiated for thi*.special campaign and other literature. 1 luring the past year tlu* National Safety Council has lieen active in its educational campaign for the jrivrnii.ti of accidents, and hi its May, 1932. issue of tlic Rational Safety .Vcti'jr runtrihuicd a most useful and illuminating frontispiece. The crossing avrident situation was >trc>?rd in the same issue of the Xnc*. and m many other resjwcts Uu* Nathmat Safety Council la* shown deep interest in cooperating in the prevention of crossing accident.*. Opjinuwty is proctitcd for a fuller enjoyment of the facilities offered by the 41 Community Safety C'tmcil* associated with tlte National Safety Council. Collec- livcly. 3rt Councils reach 8**8.f#*0 school children through 3.141 meetings. Railroad safety retiresrntattvcs. c**o|x*ratiug with such local Councils, have an excellent oppor tunity <*/ extending the propel of careful crossing over railroads. These Councils hold vast numbers of other meetings and should be regarded as fertile soil. Safety Section, AJiuL--Steam Railroad Section, NS.C. 413 On May 16,1932, the Committee put into effect a check of various railroad cross ings throughout the nation, to determine the character oi the traffic over such crossings, both train and vehicular, to note the performance oi duty by railroad employees, and the care or lack of care exercised by vehicle drivers. The survey was made by 66 railroads in 47 states ior an 6-hour period at 302 crossings, at which all types oi protection were represented, including the triple standard cross-buck signs. While tlte survey was in progress, 4,394 trains and 330,434 motor vdiides passed by. Oi the drivers thus under observation, 75 per cent exercised reasonable care; 13 per cem were classed as definitely reckless and 12 per cent were on the border line between care and lack oi care. Seventy instances were noted is which motor car drivers had particularly narrow escapes irum injury. There were 143 instances where drivers oi school buses tailed to bring their buses to a stop at crossings. It was noted that 3215 oi the train movements over crossings were preceded by proper warning whistle signals, in 681 such movements the warning by bell was adequate. Allowances were made whae the crossing signals were omitted because oi municipal ordinances. A number oi instances were iound where the signals given by approaching trains were sufficient to warn, but not in strict accordance with A. K. A. Standards. Address By HONORABLE W. N. DOAK Secretary of Labor, United States Government, Washington, D. C. The speaker said in part: 1 am interested in the safety movement, especially on the railroads. In an address 1 gave the oilier night, I said 1 was very glad Urn 1 had graduated irom tlte university oi hard knocks, that 1 had come up through all kinds of hardship, and that by choice 1 had entered several years ago an occupation that was considered the most liazardous ot occupations, but an occupation which has been removed irom that hazardous class and lias become one oi tlic leading nonhazardous occujatians in the country today. 1 waut to congratulate the saiety first men an Uicse railroads on the wonderful work thry liave done in educating the railroad employees as to the value of saiety. 1 know all railroad men are gratciul ior Uie interest that has been takcu by the management themselves. Vou luve done a wonderful work for the protection not only oi the railroad em ployees but for the protection of tlte public. The public, 1 am quite sure, owes you very much ior uiiat you have tried to do to cut down accidents, which are not only expensive but dangerous both to the public and to employees, and your movement ior tbe education oi both railroad employees and the public at large, through this saiety movement, lias been a wonderful success. 1 hope you reduce accidents until we don't have any. But the accidents at grade crossings, oi course, are not wholly the fault oi railroads and employees. This great public that is competing with you railroad men i< sometimes at fault. You arc doing, however, a wonderful job and 1 hoi*e you will meet with the same success in tlte iuturc that you have in tht past. The Railroad Trespass Evil By H. L. DENTON General Superintendent of Police, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad The siieaker said in part: This problem is one of grave concern to Otc railroad police officer, and one which is constantly requiring bis attention. During the past ictv year.* there has been a very large increase in the number oi adult trespassers.