Tenino, Washington – Suspected Drunk Driver Crashes Into Train

Tenino, Washington (August 17, 2019) – A suspected drunk driver nearly caused a collision with another car, and then collided with two other trains on State Route 507 on Saturday night. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. However, the car of the driver at fault was destroyed in the collision.

The incident happened after 10:30 p.m. A speeding driver, identified as Michael Keith Goodwin, nearly collided with Kiera Moore from Olympia. According to the report, Goodwin then lost control of his car, causing him to collide with a train. Moore called 911 as Goodwin got out of his vehicle. He was reported to exhibit signs of intoxication. Another train struck Goodwin’s car, causing the car to be trapped under the wheels of the train. Goodwin is said to be held in custody without bail after the incident.

About Train Accidents

While train accidents can be deadly, they are among the safest forms of transportation, with a fatality rate much lower than car or motorcycle accidents. Derailments, which can lead to many train-related accidents, are said to be common but are most likely harmless, with trains only causing damage or injuries if the derailment causes the train to crash into a structure or another train. However, while riding the train is relatively safe, a collision with one is likely to be deadly. This is because trains can weigh over millions of pounds. According to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, the average freight train consisting of 100 cars can weigh from 12 million to twenty million pounds – this weight combined with the speed of a train can cause great impact. Additionally, this weight also delays the effect of an emergency brake, which may need distance of over a mile to fully halt a train. Because of this, it is important to always remain alert near railroads.

While trains have many safety features, it is everyone’s responsibility to be safe around tracks. Keeping in mind that trains cannot swerve nor quickly stop, so pedestrians and drivers alike must take care to keep off tracks when a rain is approaching. Never underestimate the speed of an oncoming train, which may look like it’s approaching slowly due to optical illusions. Lastly, one must always watch out for the presence of a second train. By keeping alert and following regulations, we can help avoid train accidents from happening.

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