Motorist In Coma After Train Slams Into Car

Drivers know they have to give way to the Police, the ambulance and the fire brigade. How many know they have also to give way to “Trains” as well?

In this country, Railway Crossings are of 2 types.

1) Railway crossings with gates.

2) Railway crossings without gates.

With regards to the first, motorists have little problem with it. It’s with the second, that creates problems. That’s where trains and vehicles collide and catastrophes occur.

Railway crossing without gates are normally to be found in “kampong” or village areas. Train drivers are aware of certain procedures they have to follow while approaching areas designated as “railway crossing without gates”. In such areas, drivers have to

1) Sound the “warning whistle” as the train approaches.

2) The loud engine sound emitted by the train itself can be heard a few kilometers away.

Furthermore, in the dead of the night, the engine’s bright headlights “flashing” so brightly, being 1:45 am in the morning, is most likely to be seen for miles around, so to say.

But reported in the newspaper recently, to be exact Monday 7th September 2009 edition reported , a man, Mohd Asrul Omar, is today in a “coma” at the Kuala Kangsar Hospital.

The above driver was involved in an accident with the 1:45 am “Ekspres Langkawi” train, which was on its way to Hadyai, Thailand.

Readers might wonder. In utter disbelief, how could such an incident have happened? A train crashing into a car, on its track is something “bizarre”. It’s tantamount to an incident classified as being impossible.

The driver, Mohd Asrul Omar was reported having trespassed into the train’s part. As claimed by the driver, he had taken a “short cut”.

Only the driver himself knows exactly what happened that morning. We, on our part can only “guess” or assume what took place.

What happened?

Being 1:45 am, it was most probable he was in a state of utter tiredness, now being the “puasa” month of Ramadan.

Mohd’s car could have crossed into the train’s pats a few hundred meters away as the train approached.

As the train approached, it’s very likely the driver’s car “stalled”, due to engine failure or whatever else. It was now stucked along the train’s tracks.

Fear and shock overwhelmed the driver! There was nothing the driver could do. He panicked! He could not do anything. Not even attempting to get out of harm’s way. His car was pulled approximately 100 meters along the tracks.

What can we learn from this unfortunate incident? The “iron horse” is dangerous thing. All drivers should accord it due respect. Do not ever attempt to cross into its path, especially at “railway crossing without gates” Especially at night!

By | 2012-09-22T10:46:50+08:00 September 10th, 2009|Driving Safety|2 Comments

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2 Comments

  1. cts October 29, 2012 at 2:48 pm - Reply

    Hi cikgu yap ,
    I was involved in an minor accident this morning , I hit the rear of the infront slightly,really slightly , not even a scratch is on his car nor my car, I apologise to him but still he wants me to pay him , so end up I ask him to report to police if he want , at the end he just write down my car no plate and go away . For me , I didn’t make a police report . My question here is , is it possible that the car who I hit can make a police report without any evidence ? Not even a scratch ? If he made a report and I didn’t what will happen?
    Thx in advance

    • Cikgu Yap October 31, 2012 at 2:28 pm - Reply

      Your accident seems to be a slight one. I feel you forget about it and hope for the best nothing happens.

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