Can You Make a U-Turn Before the Highway Entrance?

[LaClaire]

Whether you can make a U-turn at a highway entrance depends on the situation. Here are more relevant details: 1. Situations where a U-turn is allowed: If the vehicle is still outside the toll station and the highway toll station provides a U-turn sign, then a U-turn is permitted. 2. Situations where a U-turn is not allowed: However, if the highway entrance only has a single road leading directly to the toll station, then a U-turn is definitely not allowed. It may be captured by cameras, resulting in fines and penalty points. According to Appendix 4 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses," "Scoring Standards for Road Traffic Safety Violations," motor vehicle drivers committing any of the following violations will be penalized with 12 points: driving a motor vehicle in reverse, against traffic, or crossing the central divider to make a U-turn on the highway, or stopping a commercial passenger vehicle in a highway lane, and may also face fines.

[QuinnRose]

A few days ago, while driving a friend to the airport, I almost made a U-turn at the highway entrance and was honked at loudly by the car behind me. Later, I checked the traffic rules and realized that there are usually no U-turn signs before highway entrances, and the solid line area is at least 30-40 meters long. This road design is meant to prevent sudden turns. Think about it—cars on the ramp are accelerating hard to merge into the main road. If you suddenly turn sideways to make a U-turn, the car behind you would likely rear-end you. I once saw a news report where a car making a U-turn at a highway entrance caused a five-car pileup. If you miss an exit, don’t panic—just drive another 2-3 kilometers and make a U-turn at the next exit. It might cost a bit more in gas, but it’s much safer than risking an accident.

[Jon]

I remember when I was taking my driver's license test, the instructor tapped the steering wheel with a pointer and yelled: The highway entrance zone is a specially controlled section! No U-turns, reversing, or even stopping allowed. Once on a long trip with a veteran driver, he pointed at the entrance guide lines and said they're like whirlpools in a river—once you're in, it's hard to get out. Another time, I saw a collection of surveillance photos where someone making a U-turn at the entrance was clearly captured, resulting in 3 points deducted, a 200-yuan fine, and full accident liability. Those jagged edges on the guide lines are there as a visual warning. Now when I see someone making a U-turn there, it makes me nervous for them. If you really take a wrong turn, just turn on the navigation to replan the route—taking a detour is actually more reassuring.

[StAsher]

During the last test drive of a new car, the salesperson specifically warned that highway entrances are 'high-risk zones.' The speed difference there is huge, with vehicles on the auxiliary road at 30 km/h while those on the main road might be speeding at 80 km/h. I checked the accident data, and the accident rate within 500 meters of the entrance is more than three times that of regular road sections. Once, I witnessed a U-turning vehicle being hit by a truck and spun 180 degrees. Highway design standards clearly state that the sight distance at entrances should be over 200 meters, and making a U-turn effectively destroys this safety margin. If you really miss the exit, don’t take the risk—just drive forward for at most ten minutes to find a designated U-turn area. Safety comes first.