Is lane changing allowed when both dashed and solid lines appear?
3 Answers
When encountering a road section with one solid line and one dashed line, the side with the solid line is not allowed to cross the line or overtake, while the dashed line side permits lane changing and overtaking. The main purpose of this marking is to facilitate vehicle diversion, alleviate traffic congestion as much as possible, and avoid large-scale accidents. Below is the relevant content introduction: Consequences of driving over solid lines: If a vehicle crosses a solid line at a traffic light intersection, the driver's license will be penalized with points deducted and a fine. Drivers must be cautious when driving on roads—crossing any solid line is prohibited, especially at traffic signal intersections where crossing solid lines due to lane changing is highly likely and must be avoided. Methods of evidence collection for crossing solid lines: Evidence is primarily collected through camera captures or drone footage. Once a solid line lane change violation is detected, no rebuttal or appeal is accepted, and the driver must accept the penalty. Changing lanes over solid lines can easily cause traffic accidents. Drivers must adhere to relevant traffic rules while driving on the road to collectively create a good driving environment.
When encountering a combination of one dashed line and one solid line side by side on the road, the key is to observe which side the solid line is on. Based on my decade of driving experience, here's the rule: if your side has the dashed line while the adjacent lane has the solid line, you can safely change lanes without worry. However, if it's the opposite—your side has the solid line—even if the neighboring lane shows a dashed line, never cross over it. Crossing a solid line will cost you 3 demerit points and a 200-yuan fine. Many new drivers overlook this detail, but just remember the principle: 'the solid line rules.' For instance, at highway entrance/exit areas with such dashed-solid line combinations, the dashed side permits lane changes, while crossing from the solid side constitutes a violation. This design primarily controls traffic flow direction to reduce accidents.
Just accompanied a friend to handle a similar traffic violation a couple of days ago. The traffic rules are actually quite clear: when there are two parallel lines with one dashed and one solid, vehicles can only change lanes from the dashed side to the solid side, not the other way around. Often see cars hesitating at these dashed-solid lines on the road, which is even more dangerous. For example, with a solid line on the left and a dashed line on the right, if you're driving on the right, you can merge to the left; but if a car in the left lane tries to merge right, it's guaranteed to be fined if caught on camera. The most deceptive situation I've seen is at tunnel exits where half the road markings are covered by mud, resulting in five or six cars all getting caught. My advice is to follow the tracks of the car in front if you can't see clearly, and don't steer recklessly.
