The Arizona Department of Public Safety has released video captured by a commercial truck driver of the chain of events in which a car swerved to miss a mattress and ended up colliding into the side of a mountain and then rolled over.
DPS says on Wednesday at 11:18 a.m. on westbound I-10 near Dragoon, a green Ford, driven by Briana Disaia, 23, of Texas, swerved to avoid a mattress that was lying in the left traffic lane.
The pickup driver in front of Disaia was able to see the mattress and avoid it.
DPS says Disaia was following too closely and failed to see the mattress early enough to give herself the time to appropriately react.
DPS says Disaia maneuvered her car abruptly to avoid the mattress but lost control of her vehicle.
Disaia's vehicle then struck a commerical vehicle on her right and then traveled left into the median where she struck the side of a mountain and then rolled over.
DPS says Disaia was able to get herself and her cat out of the vehicle. She was checked by emergency medical personnel but refused treatment.
AZ DPS Captain Dean Chase said in a press release, “There are two lessons to be learned here, the first is that seat belts do save lives. Had Ms. Disaia not been wearing her seat belt, investigators are certain she would have been critically injured or deceased. The second lesson is, riding the bumper of the car in front of you does not get you to your destination any faster. Give adequate following distance and get there safely.”
To read the "following too closely" State statute, click here.
“I can’t believe no one was hurt,” Ms. Disaia said in a press release. “I’m definitely very thankful to have been wearing my seat belt and that my cat was ok.”
