Prius Driver Cheats Death In Train Crash After Blowing Through Lowered Crossing Gates

There are approximately 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities at railway crossings in the US each year

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There’s a reason barriers and flashing red lights exist at railway crossings – and it’s not because someone thought they’d make for nice decorations. Unfortunately, those warnings weren’t enough to stop the driver of what appears to be a second-generation Toyota Prius to stop for a train in North Miami Beach earlier this week, resulting in a shocking crash that was captured on camera.

The incident took place around 10 a.m. near the intersection of Northeast 163rd Street and Biscayne Boulevard. Dashcam footage reveals the black Prius casually approaching the crossing, apparently unbothered by the lowered barriers or the unmistakable flash of red lights, both screaming “stop immediately or face disaster!”

Read: Police Cruiser Wrecked By Train After Officer Parks On Tracks

After cruising past a row of cars waiting at the crossing, the car is driven under one of the barriers and across the lines just as a train is approaching. As the Toyota is roughly halfway across the tracks, the Brightline train slams into the rear of the hatchback, spinning it around and pushing it into one of the traffic lights. It’s unclear how quickly the train was traveling at the time, but some media reports indicated it could have been going up to 79 mph (127 km/h) at the time of the collision.

Miraculously, the male driver was not seriously injured and was able to stumble away from the wreckage, 7 News Miami reports. As police and ambulance crews arrived on the scene, he was filmed gently lowering himself onto a stretcher. He was then transported to a local trauma center.

It’s unclear if the driver intentionally decided to blast across the railway tracks or if he was simply so oblivious to what was happening around him that he didn’t notice what he was doing. Nevertheless, his actions didn’t just put his life in danger but also the lives of passengers on the train. Had it derailed after the impact, carnage could have ensued.

After the crash, Brightline, the train operator, urged motorists to be safe around railway gates like these.

“For your safety and ours, never drive around lowered gates,” it wrote. “These safety measures are in place to protect everyone, and ignoring them can lead to serious consequences. Stay alert, follow the law, and help keep our communities safe.”

This isn’t just about one bad decision in North Miami Beach. It’s a reminder of the very real dangers of ignoring basic safety rules. Because while this driver was lucky enough to limp away, the next person who tries this might not be.