From Tuesday to Thursday this week the Utah Highway Patrol is planning to crackdown on a problem that typically goes unnoticed on the I-15 Freeway.
The High Occupancy Vehicle or express lane, can only be used by drivers who have one or more passengers in their car. The lane is bordered by double white lines that are not allowed to be crossed and entrance is only legal at dotted sections. Dwayne Baird is the spokesman for the Utah Department of Public Safety. He says their research has shown a significant number of drivers, simply, ignore the laws.
"They’ve been able to determine that about 17 percent of the people in that lane are not following those rules," he says. "Then we have people that are driving in and out of those lanes, or on occasion, using that HOV lane as a passing lane."
Baird says the point of the three day blitz is to educate people who are unaware that some laws even exist.
“Many drivers that are pulled over for crossing the double white lines tell UHP that they didn’t know it was illegal,” he says.
Solo car commuters who pay a toll, motorcyclists and those driving clean fuel approved vehicles can use the express lane without additional passengers. A fine and driving record points are the penalties for individuals caught ignoring the rules.