Police say that many of the vehicles involved in a major pileup on the New York State Thruway were in violation of a weather-related tractor trailer travel ban.
The pileup happened around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 30, in the eastbound lanes of the New York State Thruway near Batavia, according to a report from Syracuse.com.
Authorities say that 21 vehicles were involved in a chain-reaction crash that happened during blizzard conditions.
Police say that tractor trailers were involved in this pileup crash even though a truck travel ban was in place on the New York Thruway at the time that the crash occurred. A New York trooper’s cruiser was also involved in the pileup, according to reports.
In images captured at the scene and released by New York State Police, you can see several semi trucks caught up in the pileup aftermath.
Injuries have been reported, but the exact number of people who were hurt has not been released. A New York State Police member suffered non life threatening injuries.
The collision shut down all lanes of the eastbound New York Thruway near Exit 48. You can follow the New York State Thruway Authority on Twitter to keep up with the latest road closure information.
The truck ban began at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29 on the New York State Thruway from Exit 46 (Rochester I-390) to the Pennsylvania border as well as Interstate 190, Interstate 290, State Route 400, U.S. Route 219 from Peters Road to Interstate 90; and State Route 5 from State Route 179 to I-190. As of noon on January 30, trucks were also banned from traveling on I-81 from the Canadian Border to State Route 104.
The ban is scheduled to remain in place for the duration of the storm.
NY Troopers: Numerous Truck Drivers Violated Truck Travel Ban
New York State troopers said prior to the crash on Wednesday that they would be vigorously enforcing the truck ban for as long as it is in place at the behest of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Trooper at a traffic stop on I-190 in Grand Island, NY, with a commercial vehicle operating in violation of the current truck/bus ban due to the winter storm. Details of the ban here: https://t.co/HT73ic5xcp pic.twitter.com/PC2oLcXNhW
— NewYorkStatePolice (@nyspolice) January 30, 2019
“Some tractor-trailer operators are not respecting the ban, and they should know we’re going to enforce that ban and the state police will be out in full force,” said Cuomo said.
Multiple social media posts show New York troopers observing and ticketing truckers who violated the truck travel ban.
They keep on truckin’. Big rigs rolling through state commercial ban on @NYSThruway near #Batavia. @nyspolice cruiser in lower right observing violators. pic.twitter.com/aBvhB53ZlV
— Jim Aroune (@JimAroune) January 30, 2019
Troop A- This is what happens when trucks drive in a driving ban on ST-219, T/Orchard Park. Driver was issued multiple tickets. Don’t put first responders at unnecessary risk! pic.twitter.com/ydJ51HZqB9
— NewYorkStatePolice (@nyspolice) January 30, 2019