A Colorado motorist ran over his own head after jumping out of his vehicle when he dropped a lit cigarette down the front of his jacket.
The freak accident happened in Aurora on Sunday morning as the unidentified driver reversed out of his driveway, police said.
After he leapt from the full-sized Chevrolet work van, it rolled backwards, knocking him to the ground. The front driver's side tyre went over his head and chest, said Aurora Police Lt Jeff Turner.
He told Sky News: "He dropped the cigarette down the front of his chest area and jumped out of the van, but it was still in reverse.
"We didn't think he was going to make it because he had very substantial injuries."
He is in a critical condition at a local hospital, though his injuries are said to be no longer life threatening. A relative who was in the front passenger seat of the van was unharmed. The vehicle came to a rest after hitting a neighbour's shrub.
Police said alcohol was not a factor in the crash, and no charges will be filed.
Smoking.. Do you really know the risks?
