MELBOURNE, Fla. — The state’s railroad industry – including high-speed rail operator Brightline – are signaling their approval of a provision in a transportation bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The provision increases penalties for drivers and pedestrians that fail to yield at active railroad tracks.

Dominick Nobili has witnessed some dangerous driving through his years of being a self-proclaimed ‘Railfan’. He’s been fascinated with trains since 2007.

His hobby involves visiting tracks and taking videos of passing trains, both passenger and freight.

“I have over a thousand videos on my YouTube of trains,” Nobili said.

He says when he observes the trains going by, he never gets in front of the crossing arms and stands a safe distance away.

He has video of a car speeding through the crossing, hitting the rail arm and smashing the windshield.

Back in 2014, before Brightline, he saw another close call.

“I saw a guy on a four-wheeler. The gates were all the way down. The guy is crossing about three seconds from the train hitting him,” said Nobili.

He also has videos of a bicyclist turning back after being warned and a pedestrian jogging across the tracks with the gates down.

“It’s like, what’s wrong with these people?” Nobili asks.

But now that HB 1301 is state law, first offense violators like these can face penalties like $500 fines, 25 hours of community service and six points on an offender’s driver’s license.

A second offense calls for a $1000 fine and six more points.

The Florida Rail Alliance says the goal is to encourage people to think twice around active railroad tracks.

Back in January, three people were killed in back-to-back crashes at the WT Jackson Street crossing in Melbourne where drivers tried to beat the Brightline train.

The company later installed red light cameras there.

And since Brightline began running, three pedestrians have been struck and killed in Melbourne.

In each case, they walked past the crossing arms.

Nobili says he will continue his videos and educational outreach.

“Stop and wait, don’t risk your life,” he said.

Train incidents are first investigated by the local jurisdictions where they happen along the tracks.

They too will be responsible for enforcing infractions along active railroad tracks.