Driver Rear-Ended onto Train Tracks Escapes Crash with Seconds to Spare in Shocking Video

A driver in Utah is lucky to be alive after their SUV was rear-ended by another vehicle and forced onto a railroad track as a train approached. Fortunately, the driver escaped their SUV just before it was hit by the train.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at a railroad crossing in Layton, Utah, reported CBS affiliate KUTV, Fox affiliate KSTU and NBC affiliate KSL

In an email to PEOPLE on Thursday, Feb. 13, Utah Transit Authority spokesperson Gavin Gustafson writes that the incident occurred after a white SUV stopped at the crossing when the warning bells began to sound and red lights flashed. Then, the SUV was rear-ended by a pickup truck and pushed onto the track as the crossing arms were coming down.

”The driver of the SUV started to back up, but then stopped as their car made contact with the crossing arms,” says Gustafson. “The driver then exited the vehicle before the [FrontRunner] train made impact.”

At the time, the FrontRunner Train was going 67 mph when the emergency brakes were applied, and the speed at impact was 32 mph.

Luckily, nobody was injured during the collision, writes Gustafson.

The Utah Transit Authority later shared footage of what happened. One video taken from inside the FrontRunner showed the moment the train was bracing for impact.

“Oh, come on,” the conductor could be heard saying.

Another video showed the white SUV being bumped into the track by the pickup truck and the crossing arm falling down. The SUV’s driver appears to put their vehicle in reverse, which makes contact with the safety arm before stopping.

Then, the driver is seen getting out of their car just as the FrontRunner hits the SUV’s front portion.

In his email to PEOPLE, Gustafson offers three takeaways from the incident.

“It’s important to remember that trains do not swerve — they cannot avoid objects on the tracks and can take over a mile to stop, depending on speed. It’s crucial for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians to be hyper-aware near train tracks and crossings,” he says.

“If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, please push through the crossing arms,” Gustafson adds. “The arms are designed to break away and while it may cause some minor damage to your vehicle, it’s much less than being struck by a train.  Another option is to pull forward through the crossing — if it is clear to do so and there is enough time.”

“Most importantly, we are glad that no one was injured,” he concludes.

Gustafson says the estimated costs of the damage sustained by the FrontRunner is in the six figures, but does not have a specific amount at the moment.

In an email to PEOPLE on Feb. 13, a spokesperson for the Layton Police Department confirmed there were no injuries from the incident. The spokesperson also said that the driver of the vehicle that rear-ended the SUV was issued a citation.