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John Daley ReportingJustin Jones, UTA: "Always expect a train when you're driving near or walking near the Trax line. Always know there's a train coming, as frequent as they are."
When a TRAX train hits a car from behind, just who is at fault and what's the best way to avoid getting in a tricky spot?
Collisions between TRAX trains and cars are relatively rare, but one such accident happened yesterday. It raises some interesting questions about who likely bears responsibility and when can a TRAX train leave after an accident?
If you're driving a car and rear end another car, it's usually your fault. Well, with a massive TRAX train, which takes a long distance to stop, it's more complicated than that.
1100 East and 5th South was the scene of a collision between a TRAX train and a car. With the sun getting low, the car got into the left turn lane and got hit from behind.
Alisa Watson, Witness: "The train just came by full bore. He was ringing the bell, but hit her full speed."
But a UTA spokesman says they believe the driver of the car was indecisive and pulled in, then out, then back into the lane.
Justin Jones, UTA: "We're confident in this case the driver did everything possible to try to stop before colliding with this car. It was one of those last minute, pulling in front of the train. He simply could not stop the train soon enough."
Each train weighs 44 tons and it takes the distance of a football field to stop.
Det. Robin Snyder, Salt Lake City Police: "Don't be hesitant because those trains, they need a lot of room to stop."
TRAX averages about 1.5 accidents per month, but UTA says just once in seven years of operation has a train operator, rather than the car's driver, been found at fault.
The driver of car in this case initially thought she was OK. Because she was alright, and due to an agreement between law enforcement and UTA, the TRAX train left the scene in a few minutes, rather than wait for a full on-scene investigation.
Officer Bryce Curdie, Salt Lake City Police: "The agreement is that they're allowed to get the train up and running within a reasonable amount of time due to the high number of passengers it has."
Police are still investigating, but warn drivers to use caution in the turn lanes shared by TRAX.
