Mattress flies off truck on I-10, narrowly missing driver
SAN ANTONIO - A mattress flying across I-10 was caught on video by a San Antonio driver Wednesday night as the vehicle made a left turn to get into the fast lane.
Tina Callahan, who was driving behind, still remembers the close call.
"As they pulled into the left lane, I saw the mattress wobble and then all of a sudden it just took off," said Callahan.
It happened on I-10 going toward downtown, just after the Vance Jackson exit and before West Avenue. Callahan says she was thankful the mattress flew past her.
"I'm very thankful it flew past me. I was thinking to myself, this is definitely going to hit my car and I kind of actually ducked a little bit in my seat," she recalled.
The mattress disappeared behind her, and the driver who lost the load kept going for another half mile before Callahan lost sight of them.
Doug Shupe, spokesperson for AAA Texas, says the released a national study in 2016, spanning four years, about the dangers of road debris.
"There were about 200,000 crashes as a result of road debris and in those crashes 39,000 people were seriously injured and about 500 were killed," Shupe said.
Having road debris flying off vehicles isn't just dangerous, it's also illegal. According to Texas law, someone caught with an insecure load can face fines ranging from $25 to $500. If the debris causes serious injury, the violator could face jail time.
"It's crazy to me that they wouldn't secure it, even just to keep their own stuff because it's the stuff they own," Callahan said.
Shupe also offered advice on how to prevent dangerous debris.
"You know, either tie your items directly to the vehicle itself, make sure that it's not loose and able to come undone, but then also use some type of tarp or heavy netting," he advised.
Callahan isn't sure if anyone was injured by the mattress, but she urges drivers to report dangerous debris. If you see something on the road, contact the Texas Department of Transportation to have it removed and help keep roads safe.
