Blizzard spurs R.I. to ban tractor-trailer trucks from highways

Updated Jan 5, 2018
Rhode Island’s governor bans tractor trailers trucks from state highways today due to snow and high winds as DOT tries to keep highways passable.Rhode Island’s governor bans tractor trailers trucks from state highways today due to snow and high winds as DOT tries to keep highways passable.

Heavy snow and high winds led to an emergency situation in Rhode Island Thursday, with highway restrictions in place for the much of the day on tractor trailer trucks.

With heavy snow and high winds impacting Rhode Island, Gov. Gina Raimondo banned tractor trailer trucks from all state highways from noon to 9 p.m.

As of this post’s publishing, the Rhode Island State Police had already reported nearly a dozen incidents with tractor trailers becoming disabled and blocking travel lanes.

The restriction was put in to place to help the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s attempts to keep highways passable and safe for emergency vehicles, as well as truckers and other drivers.

 

The department urged drivers to use caution during the storm and reminded them to not pass snowplows.

“The safest place in a storm is a safe distance behind plow trucks,” a press release said.