Florida Woman Survives Getting Hit By Freight Train: Too Busy Texting To See It? [Video]
A Florida woman had a close call with a freight train on Monday, all because she was too busy texting to appreciate she was walking into a potentially fatal situation.
Twenty-seven-year-old Sheena Keynna was enjoying a stroll at 200 N. Kentucky Avenue, during which time she was busily texting. The conversation must have been quite engrossing, as the woman appeared to miss the sight and sound of a quickly approaching train. Sheena didn’t miss the fact that the crossing gates were down; eyewitnesses say that Keynna walked around the gates in order to keep walking. And that’s when she was clipped by the fast-moving train. According to witnesses, the impact sent Keynna flying backward.
According to the Lakeland Police Department, which responded to the incident at around 3:13 p.m., the Lakeland woman was hospitalized with a fractured right arm and injured right leg. Sgt. Gary Gross told news reporters that Sheena was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. There are no updates at this time about her condition.
This Florida woman survived getting hit by a train after walking onto tracks while texting. http://t.co/ayUtvfOF3Q pic.twitter.com/MvwfhCob2q
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) March 11, 2015
Kristin Seay, the spokeswoman for CSX Trains told the Ledger that the freight train had two locomotives and was carrying 27 cars. The train was reportedly carrying consumer goods from Winter Haven to Jacksonville.
When questioned about the harrowing incident, Sheena Kenya claims that she was unaware that there was a train coming. The conductor and engineer both said that they observed Sheena approaching the track and the freight train’s horn was blown to warn her. Keynna said that she did not hear a horn. She also insists that she was unaware that she had walked beyond the crossing gate.
Is it possible that Sheena Kenya genuinely didn’t see any danger because she was distracted by texting? Much of the studies focusing on the negative effects of texting while performing tasks focuses on texting while driving. However, there are fears that texting while walking poses its own risks. There are public service announcements advising people to look up while texting.
There have also been news reports about the risks posed by constantly texting without paying attention to one’s surroundings.
In the case of Sheena Keynna, failing to look up while texting nearly resulted in her death. It’s hoped that this terrifying incident will change the way she and others text in the future.
Has texting ever distracted you in a harmful way? What advice to you have for keeping incidents like this from happening?
[Image Credit: Lakeland Police Department]
