DIMMED HEADLIGHTS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1930, Page 6

DIMMED HEADLIGHTS

REG ULATIONS. SUGGESTED

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

CHRISTQMURCH, June 19

Referring to the Sockburn crossing accident a Christchurch business man in conversation with <a newspaper representative, put forward the su’ggesion that a regulation should, be framed that where ears 'are. held up at a railway crossing at night, .-their, lights should be dimmed.

He was travelling at night- recently in a car along Fendalton Road towards the City, and was: -approaching the Fendalton railway crossing. There were cars ahead travelling in the opposite direction, and so far as could be seen the railway, line was clear. No crossing keeper was" visible.--- As the driver acclerated to cross the line, a train whistle blew,-' and almost simultaneously the engine came across the road. The ear was stopped, and when the train crossed) the line,- it was noticed tiiat. thiu crossing-keeper had been there v) ) ■ The points •• wHielß-"the '' •informant wished to ‘stress were that, owing to the .bjaze of lights from the approaching cars, it'ATTix impossible -to notice the crossing-keeper in the middle of the road, and .that..,the train whistle was not blown, anything like soon

enough

He suggested that the driver of tin car on Monday evening was dazzled by. the lights .of the cars approaching from the other side of the crossing and did not jSe&.tho keeper until too late. J'he dimming of the headlights at night, he considered, would obviate at least some of the danger at railway crossings.