Teen Gets Her License. Less Than 12 Hours Later, She’s Already Cost Her Parents $1,600. How?

Getting your license is a milestone in many teens’ lives. For one, that milestone quickly turned into catastrophe.

A viral video posted by Clyde B. Owuama (@clydebowuama) shows a teenage girl standing utterly speechless looking at her vehicle in stunned dejection. She’s dazed and apparently devastated at the state of its tires. They’re twinkling in a way that they absolutely should not be. 

It’s a scene that’d discombobulate the chillest parent. Just 12 hours after getting her newly minted license, Owuama reveals that the young person and her parents are staring at a disaster.

The caption states, “POV: Your daughter hasn’t had her license 12 hours yet and has already cost us $1,600 in new tires.”

What Happened to the Tires?

The editing of the video makes it clear that this is a moment so overwhelming that the choice is either laugh or cry. As the camera zooms in on the passenger-side tires, dozens of construction screws are visible.

Meanwhile, the absurd Jet2holidays soundtrack plays in the background as viewers can just hear a stunned voice saying, “This is all the way around the [expletive]’ tire.”

The screws go all the way around the tire, and are so deep as to look like someone drilled them in place. 

Worse, it’s not damage that’s easily preventable—as anyone who’s driven over a nail or screw knows.

Because this new driver was probably more worried about getting in an accident than shredding her tires, she might not have taken evasive maneuvers. But then again, she might not have been able to swerve into the next lane or onto the shoulder.

At the end of the video, Owuama asks, “Baby, what’d you do? Drive through a construction site?” 

Then with a small smile, he says, “You’ve got to slow down, them tires is screwed up.” 

Commenters Have Questions

As of this writing, Owuama's post has 687,000 views and over 1,300 comments. The comments are filled with jokes, questions, and theories about how the tires sustained the damage.

"She hit the construction worker and them was the Mario coins she collected," one joked.

A user named Nigel Bk Red Delany asked, “The hell she drove through, the nail aisle at Home Depot? lol.”

Others suspect a deliberately malicious act, “Someone set her up,” said Ashley Mardis-Elliss. Damian Scott agreed, “Somebody did that.” 

Deeper in the comments, Nikki Clay addressed all the speculation, reporting, “Her mom said she ran over a box of nails in the road.”

How Should You Choose Tires?

Now the family has to buy new tires. Since their daughter is a new driver, the parents might not want to skimp. Plus this can be a teachable moment to make sure she knows all about tire care.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests several things when looking at new tires. First, consider where you live and what season you’re heading into. Then consider treadwear: how long will it take the tire to wear down.

You should also select traction based on your driving needs. If you live in a wetter climate, you probably want a tire that stops best on wet pavement. If you off-road or drive in rural areas with bumpy dirt roads, you may be best off with tires designed for these conditions.

Finally, consider the temperature rating. The temperature rating indicates how long the tire can sustain high heat, like long distance driving in the summer.

You also need to make sure to choose the right size tires. You can find the correct size in the car’s manual or on the information label on the driver’s side door.

Motor1 reached out to Owuama via Facebook Messenger. We’ll update the story if he responds.