Will I Get Penalty Points for Going Straight in a Turn Lane?

[LaNoah]

Going straight in a turn lane will result in penalty points. Driving straight in a turn lane is considered a traffic violation, categorized as failing to drive in the designated lane. According to the "Road Traffic Safety Law," when passing through an intersection controlled by traffic signals, motor vehicles must enter the guiding lane according to the intended direction of travel at intersections with marked lanes. Drivers who violate road traffic safety laws and regulations regarding road usage will be given a warning or fined between 20 and 200 yuan, along with 2 penalty points. Below are the penalties for driving straight in a turn lane: 1. When both turning and going straight are green lights, driving straight in a turn lane: Penalized for not driving in the designated direction, with a fine of 100 yuan and 2 penalty points; 2. When the straight light is green but the turn light is red, driving straight in a turn lane: Treated as running a red light, with a fine of 150 yuan and 6 penalty points.

[Gilbert]

I did this downtown last time! Going straight in a turning lane will definitely cost you points - it's called failing to follow lane markings. My neighbor got 2 points deducted and a 150-yuan fine last month for this. Nowadays many intersections have cameras that catch violations, especially those solid-line lanes with arrows. If your wheels cross over, you'll get snapped. The trickiest part is some intersections change lane rules by time - like suddenly becoming right-turn only at 7am. My coworker got caught that way. My advice: check the ground arrows early when approaching intersections. Navigation apps also show lane directions. If you realize you're in the wrong lane, don't force it - making a U-turn at the next intersection is better than getting a ticket.

[Laura]

As a seasoned driver, I must warn you: this is absolutely against the rules! Article 51 of the Traffic Law clearly states that driving not in accordance with the guided lane will result in 2 penalty points and a fine of 100-200 yuan. Once, I was in a hurry to take my child to an exam and drove this way, only to receive a text notification three days later. Nowadays, even county towns have installed intelligent capture systems, and white arrow markings will definitely catch you if you're in the wrong lane. Also, beware of the trap in waiting zones; some mixed lanes with right-turn and straight-ahead markings allow you to go straight, but going straight in a pure right-turn lane is asking for trouble. If you're really unsure, just follow the car in front of you, or roll down your window to check the roadside signs.

[RichardDella]

Oh, I learned this the hard way. Last year at the intersection of West Nanjing Road, I got clearly photographed driving straight in a left-turn lane—the ticket photo even showed my steering wheel. The traffic police said it counted as 'violating a prohibition sign,' and docking 3 points instead of 2 was already lenient. Now, with the new traffic rules, cutting into a dedicated lane during rush hour and driving straight will cost you at least 3 points. Here's a tip: slow down 100 meters before the intersection and check the road markings. Faded old lines should be cross-referenced with traffic light auxiliary signs. If you realize you're in the wrong lane, don't slam on the brakes or swerve abruptly—that's even more dangerous and could cause a rear-end collision.

[Colin]

Young drivers make this mistake most often! Last week, my cousin just used his driver's license to deduct points for a friend for this violation. The key is to observe three situations: check the arrow color (blue background with a white arrow means you can go straight, a red circle with an arrow means no), check the lane markings (changing lanes over solid lines will definitely be caught), and check the time period (some right-turn lanes prohibit going straight during morning and evening rush hours). Once, on a rainy day when I couldn't see the markings clearly, I followed a bus into a turn lane by mistake, but decisively made a right turn before the stop line to detour. Remember, it's better to drive two extra kilometers than to gamble on a broken camera—now they're all connected with smart recognition.

[McEli]

It depends on the specific scenario. Going straight in a regular turning lane at an intersection will definitely cost you 2 points, but some places allow driving straight from the right lane at a T-junction. The most frustrating situation is with those jagged variable lanes—I’ve been caught out before when the navigation said I could go straight, but the lane suddenly changed to left-turn only as I approached. Another case is when road repairs obscure the lane markings—if you get ticketed for that, you can appeal. My friend successfully had a ticket revoked by submitting dashcam footage. As a daily tip, get into the habit of checking your rearview mirror when crossing intersections—if the speed camera flash goes off, you’re pretty much done for.