Is it a traffic violation to make a U-turn on the sidewalk?
3 Answers
Making a U-turn on the sidewalk is considered a traffic violation. Once consequences occur, the harm caused is far greater than illegally crossing a solid line to make a U-turn, as the victims are pedestrians. A sidewalk refers to the part of the road separated by curbs, guardrails, or other similar facilities, specifically designated for pedestrian passage. Other situations where U-turns are prohibited are as follows: U-turns are prohibited where there is a "No U-turn" sign or a "No Left Turn" sign: If there is a sign prohibiting U-turns, then U-turns are not allowed at that intersection. The action of making a U-turn is an extension of a left turn, so if there is a sign prohibiting left turns at an intersection, U-turns are also prohibited there. U-turns are prohibited when there is no left-turn lane: Even in the leftmost lane, if there is no sign permitting left turns, U-turns are not allowed. U-turns are prohibited within the second left-turn lane line: When a vehicle is stopped in the second left-turn lane, it cannot make a U-turn. In the absence of any directional signs, vehicles can only make U-turns in the innermost left-turn lane. U-turns are prohibited on highways: Crossing the central divider to make a U-turn on a highway is illegal and will result in a fine and 12 demerit points. If you miss an exit on the highway, continue driving to the next exit to leave the highway, and do not attempt an illegal U-turn out of luck.
I've been driving for over ten years. Once, in a hurry to take my child to school, I made a U-turn on a sidewalk and was stopped by a traffic officer, fined 200 yuan, and had 3 points deducted from my license. Later, I learned that sidewalks are for pedestrians, and driving over them is a violation, especially making a U-turn, which can block pedestrians and easily cause accidents. Traffic regulations clearly state that motor vehicles are not allowed to make U-turns on sidewalks or crosswalks. The correct approach is to find an intersection with a left-turn signal or where U-turns are permitted, ensure there are no vehicles around, and then proceed. Remember, it's better to drive a couple of extra kilometers than to take shortcuts. Last year, a car in our neighborhood made a U-turn on a sidewalk and hit a cycling student, resulting in over 100,000 yuan in compensation and the driver's license being revoked.
Last time when I was preparing for my driver's license theory test, I specifically researched this - making a U-turn on a crosswalk is 100% a traffic violation. Article 90 of the Traffic Law clearly states that vehicles making U-turns on pedestrian crossings constitute violating prohibitory markings, which carries a minimum penalty of 3 demerit points and a fine of 100-200 yuan. There are typically two legal U-turn spots at intersections: one is a lane marked with a U-turn arrow, and the other is at central dashed lines without prohibitory signs. It's also absolutely prohibited if there's a pedestrian overpass ahead or in areas marked with yellow grid lines. I recommend using navigation apps which will alert you to legal U-turn points - this way you won't step on any landmines. After all, losing all your points means having to retake the test, which wastes much more time than taking a detour.
