Well known by now are the dangers of texting while driving. Those dangers come to little surprise, though, considering the high-mass, high velocity vehicles being driven. Even a few moments of inattentiveness can cause catastrophic results.
One Florida woman learned a hard way that texting while walking can be just as dangerous.
According to witnesses, twenty-seven-year-old Sheena Miller was texting while walking on March 10, 2015. During her text-walk, she wove around railroad crossing gates and toward the train tracks.
Apparently, this was not in some rural crossing with a speeding train coming out of nowhere. According to police sergeant Gary Gross, “[t]he gates were down. They made a warning signal. The train’s approaching. He saw her, he blew the whistle, she kept walking and the train clipped her. She spun up in the air and landed a few feet away.”
The freight train had two engines and was carrying 27 rail cars, conveyed in double-decker fashion. Ms. Miller suffered a compound fracture to her right arm and unknown injuries to her right leg. She was taken to the hospital. No further information is known at this juncture.
As one reporter put it, “[t]his Florida woman probably needs a new emoji to convey her feelings.”
Not all personal injuries are recoverable. If you are injured as a result of your negligence alone, no other party is liable. Be careful as you text. Just because you aren’t in a car doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay attention.
Read the articles below for the full story, including photos.
Fla woman survives texting, walking into freight train path
Texting woman walks into path of train survives, police say
Zachariah B. Parry is an attorney and founding partner at the law firm H & P and is an adjunct professor who teaches torts, contracts, and Nevada practice and procedure for UNLV’s paralegal program. He can be reached at 702-912-4451.
