What is the penalty for driving in the emergency lane?
2 Answers
Driving in the emergency lane will result in a fine and 6 demerit points. Penalties for emergency lane violations: Under non-emergency circumstances, non-commercial vehicles occupying the highway emergency lane will be fined and receive 6 demerit points; commercial vehicles (such as large trucks, hazardous material transport vehicles, etc.) illegally occupying the emergency lane will be fined and receive 12 demerit points, with a downgrade of the driver's license. If caught occupying the emergency lane, the owner will be penalized with 6 demerit points and a fine; if the emergency lane is forcibly occupied during traffic control, a fine will be imposed, and the offender may also face up to 15 days of detention. Cases where the emergency lane may be temporarily occupied: Tire blowout, brake failure, or steering failure; encountering an accident or vehicle fire.
I once encountered a similar situation while driving. A friend of mine, stuck in a traffic jam on the highway, tried to save time by using the emergency lane and ended up being caught by a speed camera. He was fined 200 yuan and had 6 points deducted from his driver's license. He said he regretted it deeply because the penalty was severe—with only 12 points in total, losing half at once meant that any further violation would cost him his license. I understand that emergency lanes are reserved for ambulances, and using them during traffic jams is not only illegal but also dangerous. If it were to delay a rescue, the responsibility would be unbearable. Now, no matter how urgent I am, I never use the emergency lane. I always remind myself that patience is a virtue, and getting home safely is what matters most. When stuck in traffic, I treat it as an exercise in patience—wasting time is better than risking an accident.
