This video will introduce you to High Occupancy Vehicle (or HOV) Lanes, one of the strategic investments the Province of Ontario is making in our transportation system.
These special lanes will be constructed on the median side of the highway, and can be used by vehicles carrying more than one person, as well as transit vehicles.
HOV lanes look like any other highway lane except that they have special signs and diamond symbols painted on the pavement. The new HOV lanes will be separated from the general traffic lanes by a striped buffer zone, painted on the highway. Simply watch the signs and merge safely into the HOV lane.
Where a new HOV lane is starting, if you have at least one passenger, you can pull over into this new lane. If you enter the highway after the lane has started you will have plenty of time to change lanes before you will see an opening in the striped buffer. In most cases, these special HOV lanes will start as a new lane, and you and your passengers can enjoy a congestion-free ride by merging into and using the new HOV lane.
To exit the HOV lane, watch for the signs above the lane, indicating which exit point is to be used to exit the highway safely. Each entry and exit point is about 400 metres long. Look for the dashed lines to cross and merge safely into the regular lanes. You will have plenty of time to get to your exit ramp. It is illegal and unsafe to cross the striped buffer zone.
The design of HOV lanes also will accommodate a safe shoulder that OPP officers will use to pull over vehicles that should not be in the HOV lane, or vehicles that improperly cross the striped buffer zone.
Let's all help keep the HOV lanes moving. If you have at least one passenger in your vehicle, use the HOV lanes. If not, do your part to keep traffic moving safely by allowing drivers to enter and exit the HOV lane.
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