A funeral is something people generally make time for out of their busy schedules – to mourn and also to offer their condolences. So when I first heard of drive-through funerals, I was quite surprised. I mean, do people not have time to even grieve anymore? I wondered if the concept was even appropriate, so I decided to find out more.

The drive-through service is currently being offered at the Robert L. Adams Mortuary funeral home, located in Compton, California. True to its name, the service allows the casket containing the body of the deceased to be placed behind a display window, while visitors simply drive by, signing a book of condolences as they leave. Mourners are free to leave their cars and come in if they would like to, but it’s not required. It’s quite interesting to note how drive-through funerals came into existence. According to owner Peggy Scott Adams, in the 1980s there was a sudden spike in cemetery shootouts. So gang members preferred this kind of a service, since they were protected by the drive-through corridor made of bullet proof glass.

The Adams parlor has been around since the 1970s, and is one of the very few parlors in the US that offer the drive-through service. Apparently, as weird as it sounds, the service does have its own benefits. Mourners who are aged and have mobility issues can certainly make use of this, since they do not have to leave the car. It is also useful for families of well-known people who are bound to attract large crowds. Of course, the biggest advantage of it all is the ease associated – for the family of the deceased as well as the visitors. Scott Adams sums it up pretty well in a few words. “It’s a convenience thing,” she says.