1996 Chevrolet Astro

WE WERE DRIVING WEST ON I-80 NEAR GARY, IN AFTER MIDNIGHT. 2 OF OUR 4 CHILDREN ARE BELTED IN THE BACK, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HAVE NO STEERING - THE WHEEL IS SPINNED FREELY. WE DRIFTED AT 65 MPH AND CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. THANKFULLY THERE WAS A GUARDRAIL, AS ABOUT 100 YARDS FURTHER WEST, 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC ARE MERGING FROM THE RIGHT, THERE WAS NO GUARDRAIL, AND A VERY STEEP DITCH (AS THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR LATER POINTED OUT TO US.) 100 YARDS PREVIOUS, WE HAD GONE OVER AN OVERPASS WITH LITTLE SHOULDER - WE SURELY WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED, HAD WE CRASHED THERE. THE NEXT DAY, THE MECHANIC SAYS THE BOLT HOLDING THE STEERING COLUMN INTO THE KNUCKLE WAS GONE - IT MUST HAVE WORKED ITSELF LOOSE. HE REPLACESDTHE BOLT, SHOWED US HOW TO CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S TIGHT, AND WE DRIVE HOME TO DAVENPORT, IA. (THERE IS BODY DAMAGE.) I MAY HAVE SOME OF THE DETAILS WRONG; FOR EXAMPLE, MY MILEAGE FIGURES ARE APPROXIMATE. I'M ENTERING THIS FROM WORK, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS REPORT GETS INVESTIGATED. IT SEEMS TO ME THIS SORT OF THING SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN - THERE SHOULD BE SOME WARNING, OR THERE SHOULD BE MORE THAN JUST ONE BOLT, OR SOMETHING. I BELIEVE IT'S ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE, BUT BECAUSE NO ONE WAS KILLED, OR EVEN INJURED, CHEVROLET WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE THEIR DESIGN. WE TOOK IT TO A CHEVY DEALER FOR THE REPAIR ESTIMATES, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID, JOKINGLY, "CHEVY'S PAYING FOR THIS, RIGHT?" PERHAPS THEY WILL - I SUPPOSE THAT'S BETWEEN OUR CAR INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND THEM. BUT I FEEL IT'S YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM THIS HAPPENING AGAIN, TO US, OR TO ANYONE. *AK