Stress of living with accidents

KERETAPI Tanah Melayu Locomotive Drivers' Association (PPL) president Rahman Zakaria said he had seen more than 10 accidents involving people on the tracks throughout his 21 years of working for KTM Berhad.

"One incident which haunts me until now, was when the train hit a Chinese woman, who was crossing the tracks at night.

"It was Chinese New Year and she was heading home."

She did not survive.

Rahman said drivers often suffered trauma and psychological stress after these accidents.

He added that many drivers took time off and even switched to desk jobs after accidents on the tracks.

Mohd Ariza Yahya, a locomotive driver of 15 years, said the accidents would involve not just human victims but animals as well.

"I remember during one trip in Labok, Kelantan, where two elephants died after being hit, while crossing the tracks. It is dangerous not just to animals, but to people onboard because hitting huge objects will damage the train."

Nor Amran Hamid, who has been driving trains since 1995, said he was once injured when the train he was driving was pelted with rocks by children.

"Although small, the stones managed to crack the windshield of the train and shards of the glass hit my eyes. Luckily, it did not damage my eyesight."

Mohd Khairi Ariffin said an accident in Bukit Berapit, Perak, left him with a broken rib when a boulder rolled down the hill and stopped the train in its tracks.

"We crashed into the boulder and I was lucky the whole train did not topple into the gorge by the side."

Source: NST