Idiots of the Week: Drivers who Commit "Storrowing" in Boston

Boston has a name for foolish drivers who don't seem to know how tall their trucks are when they're driving on a highway called "Storrow Drive." "Storrowing" means you think your truck can fit under the tunnel safely, and when you try, you realize it didn't! Those are the idiots of the week in this story from the Boston Globe.

(Various photos of trucks in the Boston area that committed "Storrowing" under various overpasses)

A look back at the history of ‘Storrowing’

From moving trucks to rental vans, oversized vehicles have been getting stuck under bridges in Boston and Cambridge for years.

By Beth Treffeisen, August 29, 2026, Boston Globe

No matter how many signs, flashing lights, or warnings the state puts up, someone still manages to forget one important detail: the height of their moving truck. 

A look inside a Boston phenomenon: Storrowing

Every year, oversized trucks and vans take on the low-clearance bridges along Storrow Drive, Memorial Drive, and Soldiers Field Road — and, inevitably, one gets “Storrowed.”

To this: “Storrowing” refers to the infamous collisions that happen when an oversized vehicle gets stuck under one of Boston’s low-clearance bridges. The phenomenon has become such a part of local lore that there’s even a website dedicated to ranking Storrowings based on factors including roof peeling, traffic backups, and “idiocy.”

Looking back at the past several years, AAA did an analysis outlining just how many storrowing crashes occur.

According to the Massachusetts IMPACT Crash Data Portal, between 2022 and 2025, at least 100 crashes involved heavy trucks, light trucks, vans, and buses colliding into bridges or overhead gantries on those three roads along the Charles River.

Last year alone, there were 17 “Storrowings.” In 2022, incidents hit a peak at 26.

Mark Schieldrop, spokesperson for AAA, noted that the spike in 2022 could be attributed to the year after COVID restrictions were lifted.

In 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation also stepped up the warning signs and systems, including installing high-visibility “CARS ONLY” signs. The drop, Schieldrop said, could be attributed to that.

Each year, State Police troopers respond to moving trucks that become stuck beneath bridges, as well as drivers who realize too late their vehicle will not fit and need assistance backing out.

“Over-height vehicles can cause serious damage, injuries, and major traffic disruptions,” said State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble in a statement. “When behind the wheel, limit distractions, pay attention to posted height restrictions and other roadway signage, and make sure your vehicle can safely travel your planned route.”

The MassDCR’s latest social media warning reminds the public: “Don’t be dumb, stupid, crazy or dangerous this move-in season! No trucks allowed on Storrow Drive, Memorial Drive or Soldiers Field Road!”