ORLANDO, Fla. — It’s a scene we are becoming far too familiar with in central Florida.
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On Tuesday, Channel 9 showed the aftermath of a car that was hit by a Brightline train in Malabar; fortunately, the driver survived.
Channel 9 had the opportunity to give viewers a first-hand look at what train engineers see while on the tracks and explained how the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is taking action.
When the crossing arms come down, the message is clear. a train is coming. However, traffic officials continue to see people on the tracks.
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Channel 9 has broadcast videos showing the severity of train accidents, but no one understands the impact better than April Casey, a SunRail engineer.
Casey stated, “I remember my first car; my heart was in my stomach.”
Now, in her sixth year as a SunRail engineer, she said, “I’ve lost count, unfortunately.”
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Data shows that a train hits a person or a car every three hours in the U.S. Casey expressed, “The first thought in your head is, Did I hurt somebody?”
Loreen Bobo from FDOT stated, “We still see vehicles stopping on the track, trying to go around the gates, people walking down the tracks, and those are often fatalities that train cannot stop as quickly as our vehicle might be able to.”
Casey added, “We can’t just stop on a whim. There are so many factors involved. I hit a vehicle at 79 miles per hour, and it took me a mile to stop.”
That collision shot the car a mile down the tracks, that impact crumbles cars and often times destroys families.
FDOT reports that 88% of crossing incidents are due to driver behavior, such as stopping on the crossing or going around the gates.
The Florida Department of Transportation recently launched the Florida Rail Safety Coalition, which brings together various stakeholders to address injuries and fatalities on the tracks.
Bobo said that this coalition is the first of its kind in the nation, involving Brightline, Amtrak, CSX, SunRail, law enforcement, advocacy groups, and state leaders in creating solutions.
Bobo said, “We are going to look at utilizing proven and emerging technologies. You know, what’s that next thing to make sure that our railroads are as safe as possible?”
The biggest challenge remains outreach and education. When a crash occurs, everyone is affected: passengers on the train, drivers nearby, the conductor, and the engineer. Following a critical incident, an engineer must take three days off and speak with a counselor for evaluation. Casey has always felt reassured, saying, “It was never my fault. I did everything I possibly could to stop the train. It shows that they care.”
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