Miami driver wheels around a gate arm, causing the 4th Brightline collision in 4 days
After an impatient driver from Miami Gardens got his car smashed in two by the fourth Brightline train crash in four days Wednesday morning, the high-speed train service defended itself by releasing the video and words of caution.
Meanwhile, 55-year-old Luis Paez was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach with what the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office described as serious injuries after rescue crews used the “jaws of life” to cut him out from part of his 1999 Honda Civic.
The sheriff’s report on the crash said Paez waited behind other cars for a freight train going north on the west railroad tracks at Washington Avenue and Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach. The safety gates were down.
As the freight train finished rolling through the intersection, the gates remained down for a Brightline train, heading south on the east tracks.
The video shows what the crash report described: Paez zipped around several stopped cars and the safety gates and into the path of the Brightline train, which smashed into the left front of Paez’s Honda.
“This behavior is incredibly dangerous, irresponsible and tragic for the surrounding community, Brightline teammates who are operating the train, the first responders who come to the scene and is devastating for the families of the trespassers,” Brightline said in a statement.
There also were several tips from the nonprofit organization Operation Lifesaver, including “Never drive around lowered gates” and “Proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing only if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping.”
The other recent incidents involving Brightline trains in South Florida:
▪ On Tuesday night, in Hallandale Beach, Miami Herald news partner CBS4 and other outlets reported, a Brightline train hit and killed a pedestrian.
▪ On Tuesday morning, a mother abandoned her car on the tracks in Delray Beach just before a Brightline train hit the car.
▪ And on Sunday afternoon in Lake Worth Beach, a man was killed when his Ford Fusion was hit by a Brightline train.
Police stressing railroad safety rules amid uptick in train crashes
After numerous train accidents across South Florida, police departments and sheriff’s offices are reminding residents to pay attention and follow the law when approaching railroad crossings. Aside from potential death, breaking the law can come with a ticket.
In early February, a viral video showed more than a dozen cars in Hialeah ignoring the law and illegally speeding past a railroad crossing with the safety arms down and lights flashing.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava shared the video — outraged and reminding residents of the danger.
“We can’t keep doing this, Miami-Dade!” Cava tweeted. “A few minutes are not worth your life. Ignoring traffic signs and railroad crossings can kill you. Stay on your side of the bar and stay safe!”
Miami-Dade police also urged drivers to use caution when passing a railroad crossing and not to drive when crossing arms are down.
“You can stop but trains can’t!” police tweeted.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office echoed the same message, advising pedestrians and motorists to use caution when approaching a railroad crossing. Deputies say to look and listen when crossing railroad tracks.
“When a train is approaching, never go around the lowered safety arms,” the sheriff’s office told the Herald. “Do not underestimate the speed of the train. It may be traveling faster and be closer than you think.”
Even if a train engineer can see you, experts say it could take up to a mile for a train to stop once the emergency brakes are used.
South Florida law enforcement has elevated awareness of these dangers through outreach and partnerships.
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony created a video PSA, in partnership with Brightline, to promote railroad safety.
Late last year, Fort Lauderdale police stopped motorists near railroad crossings to hand out brochures on how to be safe and follow the law, as well as warn drivers and pedestrians about the dangers of taking unnecessary risks.
“We ask drivers not to stop on the tracks,” said Fort Lauderdale Det. Ali Adamson. “We additionally ask pedestrians not to attempt to cross the tracks while a train is passing and not to walk on the tracks outside of the designated crossing areas.”
Miami Herald Reporter Carli Teproff contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 1:01 PM.
