A Stamford teenager says she could've died after an illegal vehicle cut her off on the Merritt Parkway, causing her to spin out.

Francesca Rubino-Chuckas, 18, says she was driving north on June 14 about to go under the Guinea Road Bridge in Greenwich before Exit 33.

"A trailer cut me off because it realized it wasn't going to make it under the right side of the bridge. So whilst I was in the left lane, it swerved into my lane; no turn signal or anything and I had to slam on my brakes," she says.

Rubino-Chuckas says it had been raining and she lost traction - spinning out and hitting both guardrails. An ambulance rushed her to Stamford Hospital.

"I was in a lot of pain afterwards and still am," she says.

Trucks and trailers aren't allowed on the parkway because of its low bridges. Rubino-Chuckas tells News 12 the person towing the trailer never even stopped - but another driver did to help her.

"A family from Meridan actually stopped their car and helped me get out of my car and into theirs and waited for the police to come," she says. "I'm grateful to have met them and can't thank them enough."

Rubino-Chuckas calls that family the silver lining to what's been a draining experience - not just physically and emotionally, but financially.

She's started a fundraising effort on GoFundMe to help with mounting hospital bills and getting another car.

Rubino-Chuckas says she's been keeping in touch with that family who helped her.