It isn’t every day you see a car completely crushed by a fast-foot colossal sign. High winds knocked a McDonald’s sign down onto a Nissan Sentra sedan, and the owner walked out to find this catastrophic car accident. Another reason to skip the McDonald’s run for Burger King next time, right?
The Nissan Sentra was parked at a McDonald’s during some high winds
A McDonald’s sign crushed this Nissan Sentra during high winds | Via FOX 10 Phoenix on YouTube
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office was first on the scene to see the damage done at a local McDonald’s. The Nissan Sentra was parked in the parking lot at the corner of Highway 95 and Aztec Rd. While the video blocked out, the owner confirmed the car was brand new and still had temporary plates on it.
According to Fox 10 Phoenix, the McDonald’s sign did some severe damage. The sign completely demolished the entire Nissan Sentra vehicle when the sign came down right on top of it. It appears the pole part fell right in between the front and back seats of the Sentra, crushing everything in its way.
The smaller part of the sign that displays McDonald’s daily specials and features also fell, completing the room crushing. It also appears that the sign narrowly missed falling on the nearby traffic lights.
The high winds have been wreaking havoc near the McDonald’s
The high in Phoenix was 62 degrees. Our peak wind gust was 29 mph.In Yuma the high was also 62 with a peak wind gust of 41 mph.
In Imperial the high was 63 with a peak wind gust of 58 mph.#azwx #cawx
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) February 3, 2022
The National Weather Service had issued a high-wind advisory that day in Phoenix. Peak wind gusts in the area were around 29 mph in the Phoenix area, with even higher gusts of 58 mph in Imperial. The area has been experiencing higher than usual winds, but how does a huge sign fall on a customer’s car like that? It appears the McDonald’s had recently been remodeled but the sign looks older.
In the nearby area, signs and roofs have been experiencing damage from the high winds. Obviously, this Sentra is going to be totaled by the insurance company. Thankfully, this was a newer car that the owner can pretty easily replace. But what if it wasn’t so new and the roof was compromised at all?
What kind of safety ratings does the Nissan Sentra have?
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the 2021 Nissan Sentra four-door sedan and gave it quite good results. As a matter of fact, the Sentra received the 2021 Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS. During these tests, the IIHS tested the roof strength. The Nissan Sentra received the top score of “good.” The curb weight is listed at 3,035 pounds, while the peak force is listed at 14,266 pounds. The IIHS lists the strength-to-weight ratio at 4.70.
For the most part, these tests are done to prevent rollover crash deaths. “Stronger roofs crush less, reducing the risk that people will be injured by contact with the roof itself.” In this instance, it is good that no one was in the vehicle because even though the Sentra has a strong roof, it isn’t meant to withstand the force of a large fast-food sign.
This story turned out OK because the vehicle was unoccupied, but drivers should be aware of all surroundings when picking up some McDonald’s chicken nuggets. Also, be aware of large signs during high winds, especially if you have a pretty new Nissan Sentra.
Keyword: That’s a McLawsuit: A McDonald’s Sign Annihilated This Nissan Sentra During High Winds