What Happened
A box truck crashed on I-93 northbound just past the Braintree split in Quincy, Massachusetts, around 3:45 a.m. Friday, August 21, 2026, trapping the driver and shutting the HOV lane during the morning commute. Massachusetts State Police said they were dispatched to reports of a single-vehicle crash near the entrance to the HOV lane, according to NBC Boston.
The box truck left the roadway and drove into the median, coming to rest on top of the HOV barriers. It occupied two left-hand lanes of I-93 northbound. Video from the expressway confirmed the truck’s position straddling the barrier, NBC Boston reported.
Quincy fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene, extracted the trapped driver, and transported them to a local hospital. The driver’s condition was not immediately known as of the 10:11 a.m. update Friday. State police did not release the driver’s name or hometown.
Multiple heavy tow trucks were called in to remove the box truck from the HOV barriers, per NBC Boston. As of that same 10:11 a.m. update, the truck was still on site and crews remained on scene working to clear it. State police said traffic was heavily impacted and delays were expected to continue until the truck could be removed.
Location & Road Context
The crash site sits on I-93 northbound just beyond the Braintree split, the interchange where I-93 and Route 3 diverge, one of the busiest merge points on the South Shore corridor. The HOV lane entrance at that location serves commuters heading into Boston during the morning peak. With the HOV lane closed and two left-hand lanes blocked, northbound traffic had no clear path around the truck during the height of the 3:45 a.m.-to-mid-morning window.
Broader Impact
The box truck’s position on top of the HOV barriers complicated removal. Standard tow equipment could not reposition the vehicle without risking further damage to the barrier structure, which is why state police called in several heavy tow trucks. Until the truck was off the barriers, the HOV lane remained physically impassable regardless of traffic volume.