Our Next Question deals with the new changes to the HOV lanes now requiring at least three passengers in the car instead of two.
Steve Wall emailed Next:
Hey Kyle,
I have a transponder and legally drive with passengers on the HOV lanes. I have always wondered how can they tell if I have three people in the car, especially at night or when there are small children in the back? Surely, there can not be an honor system in place.
Thanks
Steve Wall
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) tells Next they rely on State Patrol officers, and other local law enforcement to visually enforce the HOV passenger rules.
The first thing officers look for is the transponder that shows whether someone is using the lane as a free HOV lane or an express toll lane. If they see the transponder flipped to HOV, that's when they will take a head count of passengers in the vehicle.
And yes, babies do count as passengers.
