A woman and baby miraculously survived what potentially could have been a deadly collision with a high-speed Brightline train in South Florida on September 15, 2024. An accident occurred in Broward County, Florida. A truck that the woman was driving got stuck in the oncoming path of a high-speed Brightline train when the crossing barriers came down.
The woman reportedly went into a panic attack, which saw her car stall between the crossing arms. In an act of desperation, it is alleged, she was seen signaling for the oncoming Brightline train approaching at a fast speed to stop. Her efforts were unsuccessful. Speaking to her good fortune, she was able to get herself and the baby out of the truck just in time before the train hit her truck at full speed.
That truck was totally wrecked in that crash. Indeed, a video has gone viral on social media showing the terrifying moment that an oncoming train crushed a truck after a woman driver waved frantically to alert the engineer of her stranded rig. Video footage shows her standing by the side of the road and waving at an oncoming train bearing down upon her stranded vehicle. The next moment, it flattened the truck with a strong collision.
Delray Beach Fire Rescue and the Delray Beach Police Department responded quickly. Neither the woman nor her baby was injured, but that is quite the sober reminder of the dangerous situations when a vehicle ends up on a set of train tracks.
It is in a disturbing trend of Brightline train accidents over the last several months in which the high-speed locomotives strike a vehicle or pedestrian. Following each incident, the company once more expresses its concerns about following the traffic signals at crossings and the illegal act of trying to cross the tracks after barriers have gone down.
As Brightline, operator of one of the fastest rail services in the nation, has expanded across South Florida, its accidents have skyrocketed. Many such incidents have opened discussions about safety measures and awareness among the public, since many could have been prevented if caution was exercised properly.
Herein, the quick-thinking action of the woman saved her and the baby’s lives. Whereas the limited stopping ability of the train could not ensure a tragedy-free accident, changing sides by the woman helped avoid what could have been a fatal accident.
