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Utah driver jumps from SUV seconds before train smashes into it; viral video captures heart-stopping escape

The crash happened on Tuesday afternoon when another vehicle forced the driver’s white SUV onto the train tracks.

FrontRunner train smashes a SUV in Utah

A terrifying close call in Layton, Utah, was caught on camera when a driver narrowly escaped death by leaping out of their SUV moments before a speeding train obliterated it. The heart-stopping video, shared by Collin Rugg on X, has racked up over nine million views, leaving people stunned by the driver’s split-second decision to save their life.

The incident unfolded on a Tuesday afternoon when the driver’s white SUV was pushed onto the train tracks by another vehicle. As the boom gate lowered and the warning lights flashed, the driver initially tried to reverse out of danger. But with the barrier blocking their path, the SUV’s front wheels were still stuck on the tracks.

Realizing a FrontRunner train was barreling towards them, the driver made a snap decision—ditch the car and run. Seconds later, the train plowed into the SUV, ripping off the front bumper and sending the vehicle spinning across the road. Debris scattered everywhere, and the SUV slammed into a crossing post, knocking over the gate arm.

Watch the viral video:

NEW: Utah driver jumps out of their car at the last moment before the vehicle is demolished by an oncoming train in Layton, Utah.

Hear me out… the individual could have just driven forward.

A white SUV could be seen getting rear-ended as it quickly came to a stop as the… pic.twitter.com/yLy2fZUinY

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 12, 2025

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Netizens’ reaction to the video was all about why the driver didn’t move the car forward.

One user wrote, “It made more sense to just drive through.” Another user wrote, “Why didn’t they just drive forward ? What am I missing?”

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However, one user came in defence of the driver and wrote, “You’re assuming they were fully aware of what was going on. They just got rear-ended pretty solidly, and information is changing around them pretty quickly. How would you make decisions in a rapidly-changing situation when your mind is a step or two behind?”

Speaking with KSL-TV, Gavin Gustafson, UTA’s public information officer, expressed relief that no one was injured in the incident, according to Fox News. He acknowledged that, from an outsider’s perspective, it might seem obvious that the driver should have either driven forward or broken through the gate. However, Gustafson noted that the driver was likely in shock at the moment, which affected their response. The crash caused extensive damage to the train, with repair costs estimated at over $100,000.

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