Editor’s Note: The below video could be considered shocking or disturbing to the viewer. Viewer discretion is advised.
Cell phone video captured the moment a freight train slammed into a broken down car on the train tracks in Grayslake Monday evening.
The Grayslake Fire Department and Grayslake Police Department responded around 9:15 p.m. Monday to Route 137 and Route 83 for a report of a car struck by a train.
Three ambulances were initially sent to the scene but no one was injured. A woman told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that her mother’s car broke down on the tracks and that no one was in it when the train struck.
Video taken by Edgar Bahena and shared with Lake and McHenry County Scanner shows a Canadian National freight train approaching the crossing.
The train began sounding its horn before smashing into the car and pushing it off the tracks. The southbound freight train did not suffer any major damage and trains began moving again a short time later.
The incident comes as Rail Safety Week begins September 22 through September 28. Local, state and federal agencies work to promote vehicle and pedestrian safety around railroad tracks and trains during this week each year.
“When you approach a railroad crossing, take a few moments to look both ways and listen before crossing, and please do not stop on the tracks. This could save your life,” Illinois State Police said.
In 2018, there were over 2,200 railroad crossing collisions involving vehicles nationwide, which resulted in over 560 injuries and over 170 fatalities, according to state police.
In 2018, there were over 109 railroad crossing collisions alone in Illinois involving vehicles, which resulted in 34 injuries and 17 fatalities. In addition, there were 44 trespassing incidents on railroad property in Illinois, which resulted in 18 injuries and 26 fatalities.
Illinois ranked second in the nation in grade crossing fatalities and fifth in the nation in trespassing fatalities in 2018.