Video released of last month’s Sun Rail-SUV crash in Orlando
A video released this week shows the seconds before a SunRail train plowed into the back of a sport utility vehicle that stopped too close to the train tracks in downtown Orlando last month.
This marked the third Sun Rail crash involving a train and vehicle since the debut of Central Florida’s first commuter-rail system May1.
Fortunately, no one has been seriously hurt in any of the crashes, according to Florida Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Olson.
“We’ve got 34 train trips per day — Monday through Friday — that weren’t happening before May 1,” Olson said Tuesday. “People need to be more careful.”
The video of the operator’s point of view shows the red Chevrolet Suburban stopped behind a silver car near the Michigan Street and South Division Avenue intersection about 4:15 p.m. June 27.
The back end of the SUV hadn’t completely cleared the tracks before it stopped because of traffic. According to the video, the crossing gates were down — and flashing — as the train approached the SUV. The video didn’t capture the impact, but Olson said the train appeared to be slowing down before it clipped the rear left-side bumper, which caused the SUV to spin.
“In this case, it appeared that whoever was driving thought there was enough room to get over the tracks and wait for the congestion to clear up, and it wasn’t,” Olson said.
Two people inside the SUV — and the nearly 200 passengers aboard the Sun Rail — were not hurt in the crash, according to the Orlando Fire Department.
The crash, however, damaged the crossing gates at Michigan Street, Olson said. Olson said motorists should remain on the safe side of the tracks, and wait for congestion to clear, instead of trying to fit over the tracks.
“People, sometimes, are impatient. Sometimes they misjudge the space in front of them. But around the tracks, you’ve got to be careful, Olson said.