A Brightline train struck a pickup truck near G Street and 8th Avenue in Lake Worth today. As was the case with a Brightline crash in Hallandale Beach back in September, the truck was not crossing the tracks at a designated intersection and the single occupant was able to exit the pickup truck safely before the high-speed commuter train made impact, demolishing the empty truck.
Brightline Car Accidents and Fatalities in South Florida
As the Brightline private commuter train system approaches its one year anniversary, a greater number of regular commuters as well as occasional travellers are availing themselves of the service. But as the company has grown and added routes, their signature yellow, high-speed trains have been involved in numerous accidents. By October, Brightline trains were involved in 10 fatalities and a number of non-fatal crashes. While many of the fatalities are apparent suicides, and the motor vehicle crashes have often been deemed to be the fault of the drivers, the fact remains that Brightline trains have been involved in an inordinately high number of collisions.
The Physics of a Train Crash
Brightline commuter trains are manufactured by Siemens Mobility and consist of four commuter cars with two locomotives on each end. The weight of each train set without passengers or baggage is approximately 265,000 lbs. While the Brightline trains are capable of higher speeds, their cruising velocity for South Florida is 79 mph—approximately one mile every 45 seconds. Although the mass of the train is 50-100 times more than the weight of a car, the amount of damage that a train can do to a stopped or stalled vehicle (and the occupants inside) largely depends on the train’s speed at the point of impact. It is possible for commuter trains to stop in relatively short distances, but they frequently begin decelerating in time to completely minimize the impact.
Train Passenger Injuries
When a train is travelling at 80 mph, so are the passengers and objects inside. If the train stops or decelerates because it hits a car on the tracks or rapidly decelerates for one, the momentum of its contents continues. That means that items stored overhead may fly off of the storage racks or individuals moving about the compartment can be pitched forward. Car accident injury attorneys recognize that there are a number of ways to be injured in a car accident. Anyone who is in a car that’s struck by a train is going to sustain severe or possibly even fatal injuries, but the occupants of the train can also get injured.
Car Accident Lawyers for Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach
1800-Injured is an attorney and medical care referral service. We refer individuals who have been involved in car accidents to experience personal injury lawyers throughout cities like Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach who are dedicated to helping their clients make full physical and financial recoveries.
We strongly encourage you to use caution when crossing railway intersections. If you are injured in an accident, however, contact 1800-Injured to discuss your case with an attorney from our network.