Fifth Person Hit, Killed By Brightline Train In Southeast FL In One Month: Report

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA — A high-speed Brightline passenger train fatally struck a pedestrian in Boynton Beach Tuesday morning, police shared on Facebook.

This is the fifth death involving a Brightline train in Southeast Florida in the past month, Local 10 reported.

A pedestrian was hit and killed by a train Dec. 7 in North Miami Beach, while another was died after being hit by a train in Hollywood four days later, according to reports.

On Dec. 30, a car was hit by a train when a 68-year-old man drove around the safety gates, which were down, at Dixie Highway and 214th Street in Aventura, police said. Both the driver and his 58-year-old sister, a passenger in the car, were killed.

The railway company resumed operations Nov. 8 after a 19-month hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. On its first day back in service, a Brightline train hit a car in Pompano Beach, injuring a grandmother and her 1-year-old grandchild.

The recent deaths have all occurred in the last month, continuing a trend that shows Brightline to have the worst fatality rate among the country’s approximately 800 railroads since it began test runs in mid-2017, according to an Associated Press analysis of Federal Railroad Administration data.

None of the 52 earlier deaths involving Brightline have been blamed on its equipment or crews, AP reported. Investigations showed most victims were either suicidal, intoxicated, mentally ill or had gone around barriers at an intersection in an attempt to beat the trains, which travel up to 79 mph (128 kph) through densely populated areas between Miami and West Palm Beach.

In December, Brightline announced that it was investing millions of dollars in advanced safety measures along the South Florida corridor and mental health awareness with a focus on technology, enforcement, engineering and education, according to a news release.

Safety initiatives include red light cameras at railway crossings, channelizations through community greening projects, and partnerships with local schools and organizations, such as 211 and Operation Lifesaver.

“Innovation in safety is key, and we’re constantly monitoring the industry to determine if there are new ways to prevent illegal activity on the railroad corridor,” Robert Gatchell, chief safety and security officer for Brightline, said. “While investing in technology is important, we continue to reinforce that the public adhere to the laws and stay off railroad tracks.”