HOV lane violators aware of rules, just hoping to not get caught: police

TORONTO -- Ontario police say most drivers caught improperly using new high-occupancy vehicle lanes on the first day of new restrictions for the Pan Am Games were indeed aware of the rules, but just hoped they wouldn't be spotted.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says motorists were pulled over for carrying fewer than three people in the specially marked lanes as the rules came into effect Monday.

Schmidt says despite the violators, police saw "good compliance" from motorists as HOV lanes "moved freely" while other lanes did not.

Police are asking motorists to carpool, drive during off-peak periods and use public transportation to help with traffic congestion during the Pan Am Games in the Toronto area.

Traffic was made worse by an unusually high collision rate Monday morning as 12 incidents occurred during the morning commute.

Police are planning to combat congestion caused by collisions by employing extra tow trucks and using unmanned aerial vehicles to speed up "scene mapping."