What to Do If Your ETC Is Used by the Car in Front on the Highway?
2 Answers
If your ETC is used by another car when entering the highway and the barrier does not lift even after reversing and trying again, you can proceed to the manual lane and use your ETC card to pass. The information will overwrite the previous record, and no extra toll fees will be deducted. How ETC Works: ETC operates through an onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield, which communicates via dedicated short-range communication with the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station. This system uses computer networking technology to process transactions with the bank in the background, allowing vehicles to pass through highway or bridge toll stations without stopping while paying the required fees. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. To prevent the ETC device of the car in front from malfunctioning or not having an ETC device at all, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters when the car in front stops. This avoids the automatic sensing system charging your ETC for the car ahead. The ETC lane recognizes vehicles traveling at 20 km/h. If the speed is too fast, the system cannot read the vehicle's device information, leading to a failed toll deduction. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or if the ETC electronic tag falls off or becomes loose, will render the tag ineffective. You can take it to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the highway service center for inspection. If the issue is not due to human interference, reactivation may be sufficient. When using a debit card linked to ETC, insufficient balance can cause toll deduction failure. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to proceed to the manual MTC lane and use cash or card payment. If the vehicle's windshield is too thick, it may cause poor signal reception. This is especially important for vehicles that have had their windshields replaced after an accident or those with modified front windshields.
Last time at the highway toll gate, my ETC got triggered by the car in front—the barrier lifted and that guy hit the gas and took off. Don’t panic. Just reverse your car out of the sensor zone to re-trigger the ETC, or ask the toll attendant to manually scan your ETC card. Make sure to explain the situation on the spot, otherwise you might get double-charged! The system now detects such intentional tailgating behavior. After the incident, call 95022 to report the license plate and appeal—the lane cameras definitely caught everything in HD. If you’re wrongly charged, the fee will be refunded to your account within 15 working days. Always stay alert at toll gates: if you spot a car with suspiciously wandering mirrors, keep at least 10 meters away—that’ll guarantee they can’t piggyback on your ETC.
