Capital Metro this week launched a public safety campaign highlighting the dangers of trains as commuter rail service readies. The message: stay off the tracks.
The campaign comes on the heels of an incident in Houston, where a city bus smashed into a train downtown, injuring 19 people. It is exactly what Capital Metro wants to avoid when their trains start running with passengers on Monday.
Austin train accident lawyer Justin McMinn says a car could have just as easily done the same thing.
“They run a red light or they take a right on a red light that they’re usually able to do and with a train they can’t do these kinds of things,” said McMinn.
With South By Southwest underway, some people are treating the tracks as just another sidewalk; but come Monday there will be more competition on the road when Capital Metro's rail starts running.
“A lot of people when they think of trains, they think of crossing guards and gates that come down and a lot of those traditional things that people think of don’t apply with a light rail system,” said McMinn.
On Thursday, there were cyclists, walkers and an ATV cruising down the tracks.
“You don’t think they’re going to be running the train during SXSW when there’s millions of people out here,” said Ryan Sprout who was walking on the tracks.
After waiting for nearly two years for rail service some people who spoke to KVUE News are skeptical service will even begin.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Michelle Beck.
Still, making the right choice to stay off the tracks could save your life. In 2006 alone, there were 530 deaths along U.S. rail lines. In Texas, 51 people were killed and 69 injured ranking the Lone Star State second in the number of pedestrians killed along rails.
Capital Metro is running routes to prepare for Monday, and at the same time hoping people will comply with common sense.
Capital Metro is urging people to play it safe along the tracks. The transit agency advises using designated crossings, observing warning signs and not running, walking or cycling along the tracks. Officers have already handed out more than 700 tickets for people violating those rules and say they'll have even more officers out doing the same Monday.
