Nearly 3,000 drivers were caught illegally sneaking into HOV lanes last year, according to stats from B.C.’s insurance corporation.
A total of 2,780 tickets were issued – down nearly 50 per cent when compared to five years ago, in 2018.
Last year’s most prolific ticketing months were during the summer, the data shows.
While a ticket of $109 may be enough of a deterrent for some would-be traffic-dodgers, there have been highlighted cases over the years of drivers using pets or even mannequins to skirt the rules.
READ MORE: Driver caught trying to sneak into HOV lane with mannequin
Those legally able to drive in HOV lanes are emergency vehicles, cars with multiple passengers, motorcycles and electric vehicles.
Illegally driving in the HOV lane had been one of the top five vehicle infractions committed in B.C. until last year, according to ICBC. In 2021, there were 3,672 violations, while there were a staggering 5,372 drivers reprimanded in 2018 for their not-so-discreet tactics to avoid heavy traffic.
The other most common infractions found by ICBC are having no licence and driving without insurance.