Georgia restaurants are becoming increasingly unsafe. Aside from the threat of violence at 24/7 fast food locations, vehicles are also crashing into these establishments with alarming frequency. The latest incident saw a vehicle accelerate straight into an Italian restaurant, smashing into tables and sending customers running for safety. Why are these incidents becoming so common? How can we prevent future storefront crashes in Georgia?
Driver Claims That Gas Pedal Became Stuck While Her Brakes Simultaneously Failed
After crashing into an Italian restaurant at high speed, a driver in Gwinnett County is claiming that the incident was caused by mechanical issues. According to her, the brakes failed and the gas pedal became stuck at the exact same moment. These claims have not been verified by investigators, and the simultaneous failure of both auto components would be quite a coincidence.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, which occurred in November of 2024. However, it could have been much worse. Customers and staff members were forced to run from the approaching car before it demolished the tables in its path. Many of these tables had been occupied by patrons just seconds before the vehicle smashed through the window, and they were lucky to have such quick reactions. If one of these patrons was disabled or elderly, they might not have been so quick.
Numerous Cars Have Crashed into Georgia Restaurants This Year
This story is far from unique, and vehicles seem to be crashing into Georgia restaurants on a monthly basis. In September of 2024, another driver in Gwinnett County crashed into a KFC location. Witnesses say that the driver inexplicably reversed through four lanes of traffic before impacting the restaurant and causing considerable damage. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
In May of this year, the patrons of a Burger King in Gwinnett County were not so fortunate. An SUV driver barreled into the fast food location at around lunchtime, causing various injuries to those enjoying their meals. The driver was also injured in the incident, and numerous people were hospitalized. Although police did not reveal how the accident occurred, the driver was subsequently charged with reckless driving and other offenses.
These incidents have been happening at a worrying pace for years. A notable incident occurred in 2019 when a fleeing suspect crashed into a Georgia Chick-fil-A. Fortunately, the location was mostly empty at the time, and no injuries occurred. The vehicle was reportedly occupied by two teenage girls, and the driver was sent to a youth detention facility after the incident.
How Can We Prevent Storefront Crashes?
It seems like drivers are becoming increasingly reckless, and there is not much we can do to address the negligence that leads to storefront crashes in Georgia. However, we can prevent vehicles from crashing into restaurants with relatively simple barriers. If restaurant owners experience one of these incidents, an obvious step would be to erect bollards around vulnerable areas – especially glass walls or windows.