Can You Use the Emergency Lane in Severe Traffic Jams?

[StReed]

In cases of severe road congestion, you cannot use the emergency lane. The emergency lane on highways is reserved for emergency rescue and hazard avoidance, and regular vehicles are not permitted to enter or travel on it. When encountering traffic jams on highways, they are often caused by accidents. Where there are accidents, there will be police and rescue operations, so it is not allowed to occupy the emergency lane for passage. Occupying the emergency lane can also lead to many serious traffic accidents. Suddenly merging into the emergency lane may result in collisions with fast-moving police cars or rescue vehicles or rigid impacts with guardrails, with unimaginable consequences. When driving on highways, motor vehicles are not allowed to reverse, drive against the traffic, make U-turns across the central divider, or stop within the lane. Overtaking is prohibited on ramps, acceleration lanes, or deceleration lanes. Riding or straddling the lane dividing lines or driving on the shoulder is not permitted. Driving or parking in the emergency lane is not allowed under non-emergency circumstances. Testing vehicles or learning to drive motor vehicles on highways is also prohibited.

[DelCollin]

As a long-distance driver, I must emphasize that the emergency lane should never be occupied. Last year during a highway traffic jam, I witnessed a driver trying to save time by using the emergency lane, only to collide with a broken-down vehicle less than 500 meters ahead. What was even more distressing was an ambulance blaring its siren behind, stuck for a full twenty minutes before it could pass. Traffic laws impose a 6-point penalty and a 200-yuan fine for occupying the emergency lane, but that’s trivial compared to the life-and-death consequences of delaying emergency response. I once saw a news report about a multi-car pileup on the highway where blocked emergency lanes prevented ambulances from reaching the scene, turning three minor injuries into severe ones. Even if the traffic is at a standstill for what feels like an eternity, we must wait patiently in our lanes—this isn’t just about courtesy, it’s a matter of life and death.

[SanHeidi]

Having worked as a traffic police officer for over a decade, I've witnessed too many tragedies caused by misuse of emergency lanes. Just last week during duty, I penalized three private vehicles blocking an ambulance - one of them carrying a pregnant woman in urgent labor trying to reach the hospital but got stuck midway. Remember every vehicle in the emergency lane forms a lifeline: rescue vehicles can save one life per kilometer traveled in 3 minutes on average, but mortality rates double when blocked. Traffic regulations already account for congestion scenarios - deliberate lane occupation not only incurs penalty points and fines, but also criminal liability for causing casualties. Look at the 'LIFE PASSAGE' warning in bold red letters on those signs - it carries infinitely more weight than the congestion time displayed on your navigation app.

[ONorah]

A car owner in our neighborhood had 6 points deducted last month for driving in the emergency lane during the morning rush hour on the highway, which was caught by a drone. This guy complained to me that he only overtook for two minutes, but right after the curve, he crashed into a semi-truck with a blown tire. Not only was the front of his car completely destroyed, but the semi-truck driver was also thrown out and suffered fractures. The most ironic part was that the accident scene completely blocked the lane, forcing the ambulance to reverse for three kilometers. Now, I remind everyone I meet: stick a note on the dashboard that says 'Lifeline'—it's more effective than a lucky charm. Even if you're crawling at a snail's pace during traffic jams, it's better than breaking the rules to save a few minutes and have peace of mind.

[DeCamille]

The most shouted phrase by driving instructors during the test is: 'The right lane is the gate to hell!' Once, a bus was stuck in a tunnel with five cars in a pile-up ahead, spewing black smoke, terrifying everyone on board. Several male passengers tried to pry open the door to escape via the emergency lane, but the driver grabbed a fire extinguisher and blocked the exit, yelling, 'Back then, 36 people died in a bus fire because the emergency lane was blocked, delaying rescue!' Now, whenever the navigation shows dark red, I know it'll take at least three hours to get out. But even if my phone dies from scrolling, I still keep an eye on the rearview mirror. Once, I saw an ambulance with flashing blue lights passing through a gap, and the sight of a patient vomiting blood through the window is something I'll never forget.

[VonDaisy]

The most desperate traffic jam I encountered on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway was a nine-hour standstill due to heavy snow blocking the mountain pass. At 2 a.m., an off-road vehicle tried to use the emergency lane, only to collapse into a hidden icy pit, leaving half of its front end dangling precariously over the cliff. Dozens of us from over a dozen vehicles, wearing snow chains, pulled with all our might—our fingernails split and bleeding—before finally dragging them to safety. After descending, we learned that beneath the hidden ice was a mining subsidence area, and the emergency lane lacked a solid roadbed. Now, whenever I see someone using the emergency lane in city traffic jams, I feel like smashing their window. Unlike running a red light, which you might dodge, an accident on the emergency lane endangers everyone in the traffic flow—it’s truly a reckless act that harms both others and oneself.