It was announced recently that the high occupancy vehicle lanes along Interstate 95 in south Florida from Miami Gardens Drive to Sunrise Boulevard would be removed while road construction in the area was completed. Unfortunately for drivers, although the Florida Department of Transportion made the announcement months ago signs marking the HOV lanes remain and many drivers have reported being confused about whether or not they could drive in those lanes at all.

The problem apparently stems from the fact the construction crew responsible for working on the road has experienced some unexpected delays. That means that although they said the HOV lanes would be open to all while other lanes are closed due to construction, the construction has not yet begun. This is where the problems have come from.

The high occupancy vehicle rules limit the left lane to carpools of two or more people, motorcycles and registered hybrids from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays. The fine for violating the rules is $165 in Broward.

So far, the Florida Highway Patrol has been lenient when it comes to enforcing the HOV lane rules, at least in areas where the roads are not adequately marked. But once construction is complete, and in areas where construction is not underway, drivers should use extreme caution and err on the side of caution.