How the travel ban will be enforced

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Starting at 4:00 P.M., Governor Deval Patrick has banned all non-emergency vehicles from travel on ALL roadways statewide.

Peter Judge, Public Information Officer for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency , says that State Police will not be actively out pulling people over for violating the ban.

The ban, rather, is meant to demonstrate how important it is to stay off the roads.

Anyone who gets into an accident or has to be plowed out, however, will face the penalty, which could be up to one year in jail.

Emergency workers, utility workers, media, fuel delivery, and health care workers are exempt from the prohibition.

It is the first ban of its kind since one declared by Governor Michael S. Dukakis during the Blizzard of ’78.