Will I get points deducted for making a U-turn on the sidewalk?
2 Answers
Whether points will be deducted for making a U-turn on the sidewalk depends on the actual situation. If there are no traffic police or cameras taking photos, points are generally not deducted; if there are traffic police or cameras taking photos, points will be deducted. Circumstances where U-turns are prohibited are as follows: U-turns are prohibited where there are "No U-turn" signs or "No Left Turn" signs: As long as there is a sign prohibiting U-turns, then U-turns cannot be made at that intersection. The action of making a U-turn is also an extension of a left turn, so if there is a sign prohibiting left turns at an intersection, then U-turns are also prohibited there. U-turns are prohibited at crosswalks: U-turns are prohibited at crosswalks. If at an intersection where U-turns are allowed, you must cross the crosswalk before making a U-turn; you cannot make a U-turn on the crosswalk. U-turns are prohibited when there is no left-turn lane: Even if you are in the leftmost lane, if there is no sign allowing left turns, U-turns are not permitted. U-turns are prohibited within the second left-turn lane: When a vehicle is in the second left-turn lane, it cannot make a U-turn. In the absence of any directional signs, vehicles can only make U-turns in the innermost left-turn lane. U-turns are prohibited at solid yellow lines: U-turns are prohibited at solid yellow lines. Even if there is a sign allowing U-turns, you must wait for the green light before crossing the stop line to make a U-turn. U-turns are prohibited on highways: Crossing the central divider to make a U-turn on a highway is illegal and will result in a fine and 12 points deducted. If you miss an exit on the highway, continue to the next exit to leave the highway; do not attempt an illegal U-turn. Precautions for making U-turns: When making a U-turn, you should turn on the left turn signal in advance, and the maximum speed should not exceed 30 kilometers per hour. Do not obstruct other vehicles or pedestrians traveling normally.
I've been driving a taxi for twenty years and know the traffic rules inside out. Making a U-turn at a crosswalk will definitely cost you points – Article 49 of the Traffic Law clearly prohibits U-turns on pedestrian crossings. Just this month, I saw two young drivers getting caught on camera doing exactly that, fined 200 yuan with 3 penalty points each. Actually, there are some hidden traps on the road that are easy to overlook. For instance, some intersections have unusually long crosswalks that might look like regular lanes, but the moment your wheels touch them, the traffic camera flashes. To make a safe U-turn, it's best to find an intersection with a left-turn arrow signal or observe the dashed lines on the road 200 meters in advance. Never cut corners for convenience – traffic violations stay on your record and can affect your future car insurance premiums.
