Can You Make a U-turn Inside the Toll Station on the Highway?
3 Answers
You cannot make a U-turn inside the toll station on the highway. Here are the relevant details: Reasons why U-turns are prohibited inside highway toll stations: It poses significant dangers to vehicles traveling normally behind you. Drivers of normally moving vehicles can hardly judge your driving intentions and rarely realize you're reversing, which may lead to rear-end collisions or even chain-reaction accidents involving multiple vehicles. Avoid sudden braking on highways to prevent rear-end collisions caused by following vehicles failing to brake in time, which could escalate into multi-vehicle pile-ups. Highway driving precautions: Maintain speeds between 80 and 120 km/h. Observe speed limit signs and drive within posted speed ranges. Do not exceed maximum speed limits and stay in lanes appropriate for your speed.
The other day, while taking my mother-in-law to the hospital, I encountered this exact situation. I drove up to the far-right manual toll booth and realized I had forgotten my ETC card. In a moment of panic, I thought about making a U-turn right there in the toll lane. The toll booth attendant immediately opened her window and shouted, 'Sir, don’t move!' Later, I learned that making a U-turn or reversing in any area of the highway results in an immediate 12-point deduction on your license, and the 200-yuan fine is considered light. Those crash cushions installed next to toll islands? They’re there to prevent people from making reckless turns. If you really miss an exit, just drive out properly and circle back—never attempt any stunts under dozens of surveillance cameras.
Last time I hitched a ride with Brother Li, we ran into this exact situation. After passing the toll booth, he realized he was going the wrong way. Just as he was about to turn the steering wheel, a patrolling traffic officer stopped him. The officer explained that toll booth lanes are managed like highway sections, and making a U-turn there is like driving the wrong way in a tunnel. Thinking about it carefully, it makes sense—these lanes have a speed limit of just 5 km/h, and trucks could come rushing in at any moment. A sudden U-turn would almost certainly cause a rear-end collision. If you're in a hurry, you can look for staff wearing reflective vests—they'll guide you to an internal turnaround area.
