Metrolinx has released footage showing a vehicle driving around a railroad crossing gate and being hit by a GO Train in Toronto. .“Collisions at level crossings are caused by pedestrians, cyclists and drivers who deliberately take risks or make bad decisions by mistake, out of habit or because they’re distracted,” said Metrolinx chief safety officer Martin Gallagher in a Monday blog post. .“Everyone needs to be alert at level crossings and remember that trains move quickly and can appear at any time.”.This incident happened mid-May in Toronto near the Carl Hall Road rail crossing. .The video shows a black SUV approach a railroad crossing as the safety barrier comes down..The vehicle driver stops behind the arm, but attempts to drive around it, stopping on the tracks..Seconds later, the GO Train can be seen smashing into the vehicle’s driver’s side, sending it out of camera view..At the end of the video, Metrolinx included a photo of the damaged SUV. The driver walked away without major injuries. .Police said the woman was transported to a trauma centre conscious and breathing. .Transit officials said emergency workers were sent to the scene and that trains could not move through the area for two hours. .Metrolinx chief engineer Fay Pittman said safety at railroad crossings is not immediate. .“It requires the constant vigilance of each and every one of us to keep each other safe,” said Pittman. .According to Operation Lifesaver, 100 Canadians are seriously injured or killed every year at railroad crossings..The blog post said Metrolinx encourages people stopped at railroad crossings to concentrate on staying put, not proceed until all warnings stop, and never go around a barrier when it is lowered. .Metrolinx said the driver did not follow these instructions and was lucky to have walked away after her car was struck by the train. The driver is facing charges for going around the barrier. .“This incident could have been much worse, for the driver and everyone on and near the train,” said Gallagher.
