What is the penalty for changing lanes without signaling on a dashed line?
2 Answers
It depends on local regulations. According to the Shanghai Traffic Police, changing lanes without signaling will result in a 1-point deduction and a fine of 100 RMB. Additional information about turn signals is as follows: 1. Introduction: Turn signals are important indicators that are activated when a vehicle is turning to alert surrounding vehicles and pedestrians. The turn signal bulb uses a xenon tube, controlled by a microcontroller circuit, with alternating left and right flashes for continuous operation. Turn signals use a flasher unit to achieve blinking lights, which can be mainly divided into three types: resistance wire type, capacitor type, and electronic type. 2. Principle: The resistance wire type can be further divided into thermal wire type (electrothermal) and wing type (bounce type), while the electronic type can be divided into hybrid type (relay with contacts and electronic components) and fully electronic type (without relay). For example, the bounce-type flasher operates on the principle of thermal expansion and contraction, using the current's thermal effect to cause sudden movements of the spring, thereby connecting and disconnecting the contacts to achieve blinking lights.
As a veteran driver with over a decade of experience, I'm all too familiar with the act of changing lanes across dashed lines without signaling. Last year, I personally witnessed a colleague being pulled over by traffic police—fined 200 yuan and docked 1 point—precisely for this violation. Though dashed lines permit lane changes, skipping the turn signal is like telling the car behind you 'Surprise!', dramatically increasing the risk of rear-end collisions or chaotic situations. The officer explained that while the fine for this infraction isn't severe, accumulated demerit points could mandate retaking traffic courses, not to mention the dire consequences if an accident injures someone. I've made it a habit to always signal before changing lanes—not just to avoid penalties, but because safety comes first. Staying vigilant about road conditions in daily driving helps prevent such troubles altogether.
