Today, I am thankful for Missouri’s requirement of safety inspections for motor vehicles. Like the rest of you, I have had my share of “why do I need to mess with this?” moments in the past. I have wondered if I would be ripped off by a mechanic who could hold me hostage by decreeing my car unsafe for licensing. I even admit that I enjoyed the years of living in Kansas, where we didn’t have to mess with it.
All of that changed last night. Winston had accepted a ride to and from college with one of his friends, rather than drive himself in his own car. It is a six-hour trip, and it made sense to have company. I asked the obligatory parental question, “Is she a safe driver?” I didn’t think to ask, “How are the tires on her car?”
The first flat tire occurred south of Joplin. A passing car stopped to help, and they were on their way before too long. When the second tire shredded similarly thirty miles down the road, they were stuck on the shoulder of a highway exit ramp. Not having a second spare tire, of course, they had to wait for a tow truck. Their flashing lights were on, and they had even placed an orange cone behind the car. In spite of these precautions, a speeding car sideswiped them. The mirror and front bumper were torn off the car, and the side of the car was smushed. The driver never even hit the brakes as he/she sped off.
It could have been so much worse. They were both wearing their seatbelts, and neither one of them was hurt. They were towed to a Walmart that, amazingly, was open and changing tires on the Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend. The car, while damaged, was driveable. They were able to limp the last 3 hours back to college.
It could have been so much worse. The tire guy said that it was not that they had driven over anything that damaged the tires. The tires shredded because they were literally worn out. If it had been raining, those bald tires could have taken them off the road. When the tires finally gave up the ghost and fell apart, they could have spun out at highway speeds. The car that hit them could have hit them at a different, more dangerous angle. It could have been so much worse.
I’m trying not to dwell on the what-could-haves or the why-didn’t-theys. (Not easy for me so soon after the accident.) Instead, I am choosing to see the Missouri safety inspection requirement in a whole new light. Those tires didn’t go bald overnight, and they were on a car licensed in a state that has no vehicle inspections. While we can’t prevent every bad thing from happening, there are some things that can be averted. So, the next time I am grumbling about having to drag my car somewhere to get it inspected before licensing, I will remember last night. And I will try to tell the mechanic “thank you” for being part of keeping my family safe.
