WASHINGTON CITY — No one was injured after a car spun off Interstate 15 and rolled onto its top early Monday morning.
According to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Jake Hicks, a woman driving a white Toyota Camry was southbound on I-15 in the inside lane just after 8 a.m. when she started to approach Exit 13 behind another vehicle. The car in front of her swerved out of the way of shredded tire tread that had been left on the roadway, but the driver of the Camry did not see it in time.
She swerved in an attempt to avoid the debris and lost control of her vehicle, Hicks said, explaining that the Toyota began to spin before sliding off the right side of the road and into the dirt. The vehicle’s tire caught in the dirt and caused the car to roll on its top.
“It rolled, but it wasn’t a violent rollover,” Hicks said.
The driver was wearing her seat belt and was able to unbuckle herself and exit the vehicle, according to Hicks.
No injuries were reported, and traffic was relatively unaffected. First responders removed the shredded tire that had initially caused the accident.
The Toyota was disabled and towed from the scene. No citations were issued.
Hicks said there were two aspects of the accident that contributed to the positive outcome: the woman was wearing her seat belt and there were no other cars around.
He said the woman’s view of the debris was likely obstructed by other vehicles.
“You can prevent some of that by providing good following distance and scanning ahead for potential problems,” Hicks said. “There’s all sorts of things that can happen in front of you.”
This report is based on statements from police and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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