SunRail unveils new safety campaign to prevent accidents

DEBARY, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - There’s heart-pumping video. Clips where you can see a car on the railroad tracks, and a SunRail train heading right for it.

There are close calls. And sometimes, there’s impact.

“These trains are big and they just can’t stop on a dime,” said Steve Olson, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation.

In order to cut down on accidents, SunRail has released its “Let’s Go for Zero” campaign.

In one video released by the agency, a man holds up a sign for drivers as he counts how many people stop on the tracks.

Transportation officials are trying to warn people about how dangerous that is and how easy it is to avoid when drivers are paying attention.

“We want zero distractions. Zero collisions. Zero trespassers,” Olson said.

Not only is SunRail raising awareness about people stopping on the tracks, they’re also building fences to keep pedestrians and bikers out.

The News Station reported on a dangerous cut through in Sanford back in 2017 after a teen was hit by a train there.

Now, there are fences on both sides of the tracks.

“Sometimes people dig underneath the fence so that they can go up and around. So, there’s education that has to go along with that. You put in preventative measures and you hope people embrace it and do the right thing,” Olson said.

On Tuesday, law enforcement in three counties will be monitoring the train tracks for drivers who stop on them as part of this safety push.