Safe Roads (1935)

w [Music] w now see what you've done I'm sorry Johnny I didn't mean to do it son that wreck was all your fault you'll never be an engineer until you learn to handle your trains more carefully than that who wants to be a railroad engineer I'd rather be a racing driver with a car that can go places now just a minute my boy whether you know it or not you are an engineer right now him an engineer like you Grandpa what do you mean you're as much of an engineer as I am Tom and you're running a train of your own every day your right away is the open Highway on the city street your stations are your home the school and the stores your locomotive is the engine of the car you drive your Pullman is the body of your car where your passengers ride just like the railroads you have warning signs to help you make a safe run your signals are the traffic lights which guide you along every section in fact nearly every railroad safety signal is represented along your way and of course the engineer is you so you see you are an engineer though you may not realize it and because the railroads have set such marvelous records for safety at high speeds you certainly ought to follow the example of the locomotive Engineers these men Drive hundreds of thousands of miles night and day summer and winter year in and year out making their great safety records in the last few years the power and speed of trains have increased tremendously but the engineers following the same safety rules they've always observed have made the railroad safer than ever before today Motorcars are faster and more powerful than they used to be but the manufacturers have increased their safety even more than their speed brakes have been made wider and more positive safer bodies are of solid steel with turret tops knee action Springs protect you in case of blowouts and keep you from turning over so when sane sensible driving rules are followed these modern cars are a lot safer than the slower cars of yesterday now railroad Engineers know that while equipment today is safer and Roads vastly improved the biggest factor in safety is the driver who uses his skill and intelligence in driving the safe driver always obeys the traffic signals even when he can't see anything coming he knows that disregard of a slow signal or an attempt to beat the red light is always dang dangerous so he always allows plenty of room to stop then when he gets the signal to go the safe driver doesn't spurt ahead at the first glow of the light he waits until he is sure that the way is clear before he starts even though he is a little behind schedule he doesn't try to make up time in congested districts he knows that he is responsible for the most precious cargo in the world human life his passengers have placed their lives in his hands he never forgets this responsibility never takes chances but keeps uppermost only one thought safety after a long or unusually hard trip he takes his engine in for a service checkup this not only keeps it in good shape and lengthens its life but it helps to retain the safety that was built in when it was new sure all those things are important but what's that got to do with me every one of those things applies to you and your personal driving you have rules to follow just as an engineer does what he takes his train out for a run the engineer of a slow Freight never holds up traffic on his section he pulls over to a siding and lets the faster passenger trains pass if he has to stop he he gets on the sding so we won't block the right away on the other hand an engineer is never given the high ball to start around another train until the RightWay is clear far enough ahead to give him more than ample time to pass and of course no engineer ever crosses another RightWay without being absolutely certain there are no other trains approaching where there are parallel tracks you never see Engineers racing each other to the switch they observe the courtesies of the road the engineer knows that every train he passes is handled by an experienced and competent driver the motorist does not have this Advantage so he must be doubly careful if all drivers would only stop to think of their responsibility if they'd only realize that the lives of others are in their hands if every motorist obeyed the traffic rules like the locomotive engineer then all drivers would make safy records like the railroads gee grandpa I never thought about it that way but you don't need to worry about my driving anymore I'm going to run my car like a real engineer yeah and you better be more careful with my trains [Music] too [Applause] [Music] la