Can You Reverse If You Accidentally Enter the ETC Lane?
2 Answers
If you accidentally enter the ETC lane with a non-ETC vehicle at normal speed, you can reverse back to other toll lanes without penalties like demerit points. The reason is that the ETC lane is outside the highway section, and reversing there does not violate the no-stopping rules on highways. The prerequisite for reversing is that there are no vehicles behind you, ensuring no disruption to other traffic. Any accidents during this process will be your full responsibility. Before reversing, always check your surroundings. If no vehicles are approaching, you can reverse and turn around to enter a manual toll lane. If there are a few vehicles behind, negotiate safely with their drivers to avoid congestion. For heavy traffic, on-site staff will assist. ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) is the world's most advanced toll collection system. It uses microwave communication between the vehicle's onboard unit and the ETC lane antenna, linked with banking systems for seamless toll payment without stopping. The ETC lane is exclusively for vehicles equipped with ETC devices, using electronic toll collection. Entering the wrong ETC lane by mistake won't result in a violation record but may cause delays. Passing through a closed highway's ETC entrance without entry info will lead to a full toll charge at the exit. Note: ETC lanes on highways have cameras. Non-ETC vehicles using ETC lanes will be recorded and penalized with fines and 3 demerit points. Precautions: Drivers must pay attention to highway entrance/exit signs and ETC lanes, usually located on the far left. Plan your lane in advance to avoid last-minute changes. Forcibly cutting into another vehicle's ETC transaction is not recommended. If this happens, contact toll staff to re-scan your ETC. ETC only charges upon exiting the highway. Being 'piggybacked' by another vehicle has no impact on you, but the offending vehicle will be blacklisted, charged the maximum toll, and barred from national highways.
Once I took the wrong lane at the highway entrance and ended up in the ETC lane, which left me completely stunned. Honestly, in such situations, never reverse directly! Highway toll lanes have dense traffic, and reversing is highly likely to cause rear-end collisions. I’ve already witnessed several minor accidents caused this way. If there are no cars behind you, you can quickly reverse out, but you must turn on your hazard lights in advance to warn approaching vehicles and ensure a safe distance by checking your surroundings. The most reliable method is to simply drive through and explain the situation to the staff. Although you’ll be charged, it’s safer and hassle-free. Remember, safety always comes first in any situation.
