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This Toyota Prius serves as a prime illustration of why it's unwise to dash across the tracks when a train is approaching.
For good reason, many railroad crossings in the United States are marked with flashing lights and movable barriers. However, if you ignore the barriers and lights, you could find a world of pain. Just as a Toyota Prius driver found out at a Miami, Florida train crossing.
Footage from social media captures a commuter train in Florida colliding with a Toyota Prius that attempted to cross the tracks.
The Brightline is a Florida-based high-speed commuter train from Tampa to Miami and back. It cruises through Orlando, West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton, giving commuters an alternative to driving with the traffic of busy cities.
However, the quick-moving train covers around 235 miles of the Sunshine State with hundreds of potentially dangerous railroad crossings. A popular video revealed just how dangerous those crossings can be after a Toyota Prius tried to slip over the tracks.
Footage from the incident captures the Prius making a bold, though unwise, attempt to cross the tracks. The video clearly displays the flashing lights and lowered barriers. Ignoring the evident warnings, the Toyota hybrid speeds beneath the barrier at a railway crossing in Miami.
The Prius appeared to be traveling at a speed that could potentially keep it out of danger. However, it was no competition for the Brightline commuter train. The train barreled through the intersection, colliding with the rear passenger-side quarter panel of the blue Toyota Prius. Naturally, the force of the train rushing past caused the Prius to spin violently, resulting in severe and irreversible damage.
Despite the presence of flashing lights and shifting barriers, some drivers still take the chance to cross the tracks as a train nears. Currently, Brightline's average speed of almost 70 mph falls short of what is expected from a contemporary high-speed rail (HSR) service.
Nonetheless, it moves swiftly enough to inflict significant harm on a vehicle trying to cross the tracks after the barriers have lowered. This is a lesson that the driver of the Toyota Prius learned the hard way.
In passing, the reactions from internet users were rather harsh. One commenter bluntly remarked, “Let’s all express our gratitude to Brightline for helping with natural selection!” Meanwhile, others pondered how the driver could have overlooked the barriers. One individual suggested, “Was the driver drunk?” Regardless, it’s safe to say that this driver probably won’t repeat that error in the future.
