713-225-5050 
At Charles J. Argento, our Houston, Texas car accident attorney has successfully represented clients who have been seriously injured in crashes throughout Harris County with an aggressive approach to pursuing the negligent drivers responsible for our clients’ crashes.
While we continue to fight for our clients’ rights and the physical, emotional, and financial recovery they deserve, the truth is, our Houston personal injury lawyer hopes you never need us.
Unfortunately, with I-45 operating as a major backbone to our Houston traffic patterns, the 285 miles of highway becomes a danger zone for our residents, listed in the top five in both DUI-related crashes and fatal incidents at nighttime throughout the country.
The more our community knows about the often-traveled highway and its lane restrictions, the better prepared they will be to travel I-45 safely. We’re here to provide the resources everyone needs to stay safe on our roadways, and to deliver justice when a negligent party takes that away.
How Dangerous is I-45 in Houston?
Upon analyzing federal road safety data, the consumer research giant, Value Penguin, deemed I-45 the second-most dangerous highway in the United States based on the fatal accidents that occur throughout its run from Houston to Galveston and the Galveston Causeway to the Gulf of Mexico.
Known as the Gulf Freeway to locals, I-45 includes reversible high-occupancy vehicle lanes that flow with the incoming and outbound traffic patterns from downtown Houston to help traffic flow during peak travel times and aid in reducing accidents.
Who Can Use the High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes in Houston?
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, vehicles with at least two people, and up to as many people as the vehicle will safely hold, or a motorcyclist may use Houston HOV lanes.
Other vehicles eligible to use HOV lanes include:
- Buses
- Emergency vehicles responding calls
- Motorcycles
- Passenger cars
- Pickup trucks
- Vans
Carpools, vanpools, and motorcyclists ride in HOV lanes for free, while solo drivers have the option of paying a toll to use the lanes during non-peak hours. Called the HOT lanes, or high-occupancy toll lanes, access to these lanes provide an additional resource for travelers to use during their commute.
Vehicles prohibited from using HOV lanes in Houston include:
- Trucks having a gross weight capacity of five tons or more
- Trucks with more than two axles
- Vehicles towing trailers
When Are the I-45 North and South HOV Lanes in Operation?
The I-45 HOV lanes allow drivers to avoid congestion and travel faster than regular lanes during peak periods.
I-45 North and South HOV lanes are in operation Monday – Friday:
- Inbound direction: 5am – 11am
- Outbound direction: 1pm – 8pm
The hours of operation may change on observed holidays.
What Are the Benefits of the HOV and HOT Lanes in Houston, Texas?
There are multiple benefits to high-occupancy vehicle lanes and the high-occupancy toll lanes in Houston.
Including:
- Faster, more efficient commutes
- Shared fuel costs
- Reduced congestion
- Fewer vehicle emissions
- Less vehicle wear and tear
- Less stop-and-go traffic
- Providing new options for commuters
- Improving air quality by reducing traffic congestion
- Offers increased enforcement of the HOV lane system
- Better utilization of existing HOV lanes
- Increasing safety and promoting quick response to accidents and issues in the lanes due to additional camera monitoring
As our infrastructure continues to evolve to meet our city’s growing needs, traffic will remain a large part of our residents’ day-to-day challenges. That does not mean safety has to be compromised during our travels. Unfortunately, negligence is ever-present on our roadways, whether it is distracted drivers texting while driving or drunk or impaired drivers getting behind the wheel.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in an I-45 accident, contact our skilled Houston car accident attorney at Charles J. Argento & Associates today by calling 713-225-5050 to schedule a free consultation. We will assess your case and provide a unique approach to producing results for your complete financial recovery, so you can focus on healing.