What are the penalties for making a U-turn on a single yellow line?

[AriannaFitz]

If you make a U-turn on a single solid yellow line, it is considered a traffic violation. "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses": If a motor vehicle driver commits any of the following violations, 3 points will be deducted: Violating prohibitory signs or prohibitory marking instructions. Article 90 of the "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China": If a motor vehicle driver violates road traffic safety laws or regulations regarding road passage, they shall be given a warning or fined not less than 20 yuan but not more than 200 yuan. If this law provides otherwise, penalties shall be imposed accordingly. Permissible U-turn situations: Intersections with U-turn signs allow U-turns: If there is a clear U-turn sign at an intersection, a U-turn can be made; if there is a U-turn traffic light, the U-turn must follow the light's instructions. If there is no traffic light, a U-turn can be made based on the specific situation, provided it does not interfere with other vehicles or pedestrians. Intersections without explicit prohibitions on U-turns or left turns allow U-turns: If there is no explicit prohibition on U-turns at a location, a U-turn can be made. Here, "no explicit prohibition on U-turns" means that as long as there are no "No U-turn signs," "No left turn signs," or solid lines in the middle of the road, a U-turn can be safely made. Yellow grid lines also allow U-turns: Yellow grid lines are actually no-parking grid lines marked at intersections prone to temporary parking congestion, entrances and exits of important units, and other intersections where such markings are necessary. Any vehicle stopping on these grid lines (including waiting for traffic lights) is considered a violation. Although vehicles cannot stop in yellow grid line areas, U-turns are permitted. As long as there is no central road barrier, yellow grid lines are equivalent to "U-turns allowed." Intersections with U-turn traffic lights: This is straightforward—if there is a U-turn traffic light, you must follow it; only a green light permits a U-turn. When "No left turn" and "U-turn allowed" signs appear simultaneously: U-turns are allowed, but left turns are prohibited. However, "No U-turn" is not the same as "No left turn." Precautions when making U-turns at intersections: Observe road markings. If they are solid lines, U-turns are prohibited under any circumstances, and you should continue driving to find a suitable location for a U-turn. If there is a "No left turn" sign ahead, even if there is no mention of prohibiting U-turns, U-turns are not allowed at that intersection because U-turns and left turns are similar actions, and a U-turn always involves a left turn first. U-turns must be made from the innermost left-turn lane. If you are in the second left-turn lane, you cannot make a U-turn at that intersection. When making a U-turn, you must yield to vehicles going straight and only proceed if it does not interfere with their normal movement. Otherwise, you will bear full responsibility for any accidents. Generally, near the intersection stop line, lanes have guiding arrows for vehicles to choose their direction. The leftmost lane does not always have a left-turn arrow. On some roads, if there is a straight arrow, even without explicit "No U-turn" signs, U-turns are not allowed. Making a U-turn on a crosswalk is also a traffic violation.

[LeRyder]

I remember once making an illegal U-turn over a solid yellow line while driving and being stopped by a traffic officer on the spot. I was criticized, fined 200 yuan, and had 3 points deducted from my driver's license. At the time, I didn't pay much attention to the road markings, thinking it would be fine since there were few cars at night, but it ended up costing me most of a day's wages. Solid yellow lines typically prohibit vehicles from crossing or driving over them, especially for maneuvers like U-turns, which pose significant safety risks and can easily lead to rear-end collisions with oncoming traffic. From a safety perspective, it's best to develop the habit of only making U-turns at dashed lines and to observe road signs in advance. If caught, fines can range from 100 to 200 yuan, with some regional variations, but 3 points are commonly deducted. Now, I turn on navigation to remind me of U-turn points to avoid making the same mistake again.