Can You Pass the Driving Test by Crossing the Dotted Line in Subject 3?
4 Answers
Crossing the dotted line in Subject 3 is permissible. According to China's Road Traffic Safety Law, the solid center line on the road must not be crossed or driven over, while the dotted line can be temporarily crossed. Therefore, if a vehicle runs over a solid line during the road test, it will be directly judged as a failure. The contents of the Subject 3 road driving skills test include: For large buses, tractors, city buses, medium-sized buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed trucks, and small automatic transmission cars for the disabled, the test includes preparation before getting on the car, simulated nighttime lighting test, starting, driving in a straight line, and shifting gears. Changing lanes, pulling over, going straight through intersections, turning left at intersections, turning right at intersections, passing through pedestrian crossings, passing through school zones, passing through bus stops, meeting vehicles, overtaking, making U-turns, and driving at night; the test contents for other types of vehicles are determined by the provincial traffic management departments of the public security authorities.
I personally experienced the feeling of taking the third driving test. At that time, I accidentally drove over the dotted line on a curve and was immediately penalized by the examiner. Fortunately, I didn’t exceed the limit and barely passed. Actually, driving over the dotted line during the test is a common mistake, reflecting unstable steering control or lack of focus, especially when turning or changing lanes. The examiner will decide the penalty based on the severity—if you go too far or do it multiple times, you’ll lose all ten points and have to retake the test. During practice, it’s recommended to simulate the test on open roads, training your eyes to focus on the lane lines ahead instead of just checking mirrors or the dashboard. Nervousness during the test is also a factor—just take deep breaths and drive slowly. But remember, this issue isn’t trivial: one mistake might be passable, but multiple could cost you the test.
From a driving technique perspective, driving over dashed lines in the Category 3 driving test isn't a fatal mistake but requires caution. This usually indicates poor lane centering, possibly due to overly quick steering wheel movements or unstable handling. In daily driving, crossing lines disrupts following traffic - similarly in exams, examiners assess whether you can control the vehicle safely and smoothly. Lightly touching dashed lines typically deducts just five points; if you ride the line for a distance or combine it with other mistakes, you may lose more points or even fail. Practice curve driving more during training, learn to use mirrors for positioning, don't just focus on the hood - shift attention to the distant route. Also monitor speed - going too fast makes line-crossing more likely.
The third driving test emphasizes details, and running over dashed lines falls under directional control errors in the scoring rules. Based on my understanding of the exam standards, each instance results in a deduction of 3-5 points. If it happens consecutively or with significant deviation, the penalty escalates and could potentially bring the total score below the passing threshold. The key lies in the examiner's judgment of whether it affects safety—for example, running over solid lines is absolutely serious, while dashed lines are slightly more lenient but should not be taken lightly. Develop good habits during practice: adjust your seating position properly, hold the steering wheel steadily, and slow down in advance when approaching curves. Although this seems like a minor mistake, accumulated errors pose high risks. One mistake might still let you pass, but two or more could spell trouble.
