It's been a rail of a ride since the implementation of Orlando's newest transportation system, the SunRail, and like all new products and services, new systems take some getting used to. Adjustment periods, however, do not justify driver's inability to stay out of the SunRail's way.
There have been at least two reported accidents involving the SunRail since its grand opening to the public and headlines after headlines announce variations of "SunRail Crashes Into Car at Crossing".
Wait, what?
The logic in these headlines lacks sense-- and quite frankly, these headlines are infuriating. Along the SunRail path, there are multitudes of designated railroad crossings created to warn drivers and pedestrians when a train is near. Now, whether or not the public heeds said warning is a different story.
The first SunRail collision took place on May 8 on Ronald Reagan when a landscaping truck "had illegally stopped on the tracks when the railroad crossing arms were activated to the down position," Kevin Tuck of the Longwood Police told WESH.
The second accident occured in Maitland on May 19 and was much more publicized due to its extremity. The collision was caused by (once again) an error on the driver's part. The 28-year-old woman involved in the crash was caught on camera jumping out of her vehicle in a successful attempt to save her life. Though the driver claims that her car stalled due to her unfamiliarity with driving a stick-shift vehicle, it is the responsibility of the public to follow safety precautions.
In these cases, the drivers actively ignored the warnings and (either intentionally or unintentionally) decided they were above the system. Exactly why, then, is the SunRail getting blamed for the impatience and carelessness of drivers?
According to MetroPlan Orlando, the benefits of the SunRail are many. The probability to "create nearly 260,000 jobs, with an estimated $8.8 billion in economic impact" is a major benefit to Central Florida, along with its potential to decrease traffic on I-4 during peak hours. With a reported $1 billion spent in the creation of the SunRail, there should be a no-tolerance policy on impatient, advice-ignoring drivers.
It's clear: The SunRail is not only helping the community, but transforming it for the better. It's time that drivers get on board with the change and that the truth is headlined: "Drivers Crash Into The SunRail", not the other way around... and if any drivers can't stand the wait, well, then, maybe they should have ridden the SunRail.
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