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Car accidents frequently happen worldwide. And sometimes, crashes occur in the most bizarre places in unique scenarios. Car safety statistics suggest roughly 20,000 accidents a year involve drivers crashing into buildings. That’s almost 60 building collisions every day.

One odd incident concerned a man who unwittingly drove his small car into a local pizzeria. And amid the chaos and destruction, he decided to place an order right from his car window.

A wrong turn right into a pizzeria

A pizzeria car crash killed a 13-year-old girl and seriously injured 13 others near Paris, France, in August 2017
A pizzeria car crash in France in August 2017 similar to the one in Lincoln, Nebraska | Julien Mattia/NurPhoto via Getty Images

In 2013, an older man set out to drive into town to order himself a slice of pizza for lunch. But the Lincoln, Nebraska resident ran into a bit of trouble when his foot hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, Eater reported.

Instead of rolling to a stop in his chosen parking space, he inadvertently launched his car through the front door of Valentino’s pizzeria. Obviously, the crash caught everyone by surprise, including the driver and lunchtime patrons. But fortunately, no one was severely injured in the bizarre accident.

Might as well place an order

As the driver sat in his car, pizzeria patrons told him to wait for paramedics to arrive in case he had sustained injuries. From the driver’s seat of his white hatchback, the man figured he might as well go ahead and place his order. It was a good sign, indicating he was still coherent enough to have a chuckle and continue with his lunch plans.

Other reports said that because his car was so small, it fit through the front door without causing significant structural damage to the building. And as odd as this car accident sounds, it’s certainly not the first time a driver has crashed into a restaurant.

Other instances of restaurant car crashes

Just this summer alone, there have already been several car accidents involving drivers blasting into popular eateries. In Northmoor, Missouri, a man unexpectedly crashed his car into the China Gourmet restaurant after collecting his food. The driver mistook the gas pedal for the brake, Fox 4 reported.

And in a Kenosha, Wisconsin, Kenosha News reported a similar instance of a vehicle running into the side of La Fogata restaurant. Luckily, in both cases, no critical injuries were reported, and the buildings weren’t demolished.

Even Hollywood comedian George Lopez’s signature restaurant wasn’t safe from a wayward vehicle. Daily Mail reported the incident involving a 60-year-old man who ran a stop sign, hit another car, and spun, landing him in the front entrance of Lopez’s restaurant in Torrance, California. No patrons were hurt, but four people, including a pedestrian and both vehicle drivers, sustained moderate injuries. 

Though car accidents involving restaurants happen more often than you might think, it’s rare that the driver responsible for the crash orders from the eatery he wrecked. It’s a headline that might make you chuckle after knowing, of course, that everyone was OK. It’s a reminder to all drivers to be careful to use the correct pedal, stop at all stop signs, and be aware of their surroundings.

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