Although it is not common for cars to crash into Trader Joe’s stores, it does happen. There have been a few reported incidents including one requiring a handrail repair right here in the Las Vegas Valley.
Recently, we were called out to repair this handrail at the Trader Joe’s on Eastern Avenue in Henderson.
Origins of a Handrail Repair
Apparently, a customer parked in a space front of the store accidentally put her car in drive instead reverse when getting ready to back out of the space.
When she stepped on the gas pedal the car lurched forward over the curb and into the handrail instead of backing up as she expected. Luckily for all involved, the handrail and the concrete curb saved her from driving into the store.
We were called out on a Thursday to take a look at the project site. This was a simple handrail repair in concrete so we dispatched a crew for Saturday morning to take care of it.
The entire project took our professional crew about 3 hours to complete. We replaced the damaged railing and fixed the damage to the concrete pony wall. Our team was able to complete the repair and finish up before the foot traffic started.
Accidents across the country
Although this isn’t a common occurrence, similar incidents have happened in different spots across the US. In most of the cases the reason were driver error or medical emergency.
In 2019, a car drove into a Trader Joe’s store in Seattle, Washington, injuring multiple people. In 2018, a car crashed into a Trader Joe’s store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, causing significant damage to the building.
It is important to note that these incidents are relatively rare and do not represent a trend. Like most retailers, Trader Joe’s take steps to ensure the safety of their customers and employees, such as installing barriers and bollards to prevent cars from entering the store.
Whether you’re running a neighborhood grocery store or any other public facing enterprise, keeping your employees and customers safe is a priority.
When you need an outdoor handrail repair, bollard repair or any security safety fencing repair or installation, contact A1 Fence LV for fast, professional service. Give us a call at (702) 504-0765 or for faster service request a quick quote here using our online form.
