What is the Difference Between a Hard Shoulder and an Emergency Lane?

[ElizabethLee]

Under normal circumstances, the hard shoulder is not allowed for driving. It is only permitted for passage or parking in emergencies. Generally, it is used for police cars, ambulances, tow trucks, or temporarily parking accident vehicles during incidents. Other vehicles can only pass under police direction. On the other hand, the emergency lane allows temporary parking for damaged vehicles, with markers set up 150 meters behind. During accidents causing road blockages, it is used for emergency rescue vehicles to pass. Below is additional information: 1. Shoulder: The shoulder refers to the strip area located from the outer edge of the roadway to the edge of the roadbed, with a certain width (including hard shoulders and soft shoulders). It serves to maintain the functionality of the roadway and for temporary parking, as well as providing lateral support for the road surface. 2. Soft Shoulder: Next to the highway pavement layer, there is a 50 to 100 cm wide dirt road, known as the soft shoulder, which acts as a buffer and is not allowed for vehicle passage.