What are the penalties for not driving in the designated lane?
2 Answers
Driving not in the designated lane will result in a deduction of 2 to 3 points and a fine. Motor vehicles passing through intersections controlled by traffic signals should follow the prescribed rules. At intersections with designated lanes, vehicles must enter the appropriate lane based on their intended direction of travel. On some road sections where turning or U-turns are not allowed and no signs are installed, yellow prohibition markings are painted on the lanes to warn drivers that turning or U-turns are not permitted on these sections. When approaching an intersection, pay attention to the directional markings on the road. If you intend to turn left, choose the leftmost lane; if you intend to turn right, choose the rightmost lane; for going straight, choose the middle lane. It is important to select the correct lane for your intended direction of travel in advance. If you accidentally choose the wrong lane and need to change lanes, do not force yourself to continue in the original direction. Instead, make a U-turn or detour ahead and then choose the correct lane to proceed.
I've encountered this situation a few times. Not following the designated lane direction is actually a very common traffic violation. According to traffic regulations, at intersections with directional arrow markings, vehicles must drive in the direction indicated by the lane. If you make a left turn from a straight lane or go straight from a left-turn lane, you'll usually be fined 100 yuan and get 2 penalty points if caught by traffic cameras or on-site officers. Once when I was driving in the new urban area, navigation delay caused me to occupy a right-turn lane but go straight, and I received a violation message the next day. What's more troublesome is that this behavior can easily cause collisions. Last year, my colleague rear-ended someone because of this and was determined to be fully at fault. I suggest everyone check the road markings about 50 meters before reaching the intersection. If you're in the wrong lane, just follow its current direction and adjust at the next intersection—don't force a lane change.
