In an effort to increase driver awareness around railroad crossings, Maitland police will conduct extra traffic enforcement at various railroad crossings and intersections for the next 30 days.

A SunRail train and an SUV collided earlier this week near Maitland and Horatio avenues with a train coming out of DeBary.

Investigators are still trying to determine if the driver intentionally ran the barriers at the crossing.

The driver wasn't injured. There were 160 passengers on the train at the time of the crash, but no injuries were reported on the train, either.

The enforcement will take place from March 30 to April 30, and it is designed to help educate drivers to the dangers of not complying with state laws regarding railroad crossings and to enforce the laws currently in place.

Citations in the city of Maitland for stopping on the tracks or going past the railroad crossings are $164.

"We are actually having to bring in officers on their off time to work these details because we have so many violators just within our city," said Lt. Luis Gindell, of the Maitland Police Department.

The intersection of Horatio Avenue and Maitland Avenue — the same location where Wednesday’s crash happened — is a major problem area, Grindell said.

Drivers sometimes can't see traffic backing up before they turn onto Horatio Avenue.

"It's definitely not worth the loss of life or being disabled just from rushing trying to get through the intersections," Grindell said.

Railroad crossing safety tips for drivers

Here are some driving safety tips provided by the Maitland Police Department:

  • Trains and cars don't mix. Never race a train to the crossing — even if you tie, you lose.
  • The train you see is closer and faster-moving than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to go by before you proceed across the tracks.
  • Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a freight train moving at 55 mph can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied. That's 18 football fields.
  • Never drive around lowered gates — it's illegal and deadly. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call the 1-800 number posted on or near the crossing signal or contact your local law enforcement agency.
  • Do not get trapped on the tracks. Proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing only if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train is 3 feet wider than the tracks on both sides.
  • If your vehicle ever stalls on a track with a train coming, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction from which the train is coming. If you run in the same direction the train is traveling, when the train hits your car, you could be injured by flying debris. Call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
  • At a multiple track crossing waiting for a train to pass, watch out for a second train on the other tracks approaching from either direction.
  • When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways and cross the tracks quickly without stopping. Remember, it isn't safe to stop closer than 15 feet from a rail.