Will Lane Changing Affect Normally Moving Vehicles Result in Points Deduction?
2 Answers
In urban areas, continuously changing lanes without following regulations, thereby affecting the normal passage of other vehicles, may result in a maximum fine of 200 yuan and a deduction of 2 points. The specific penalty amount depends on the traffic regulations of different cities. During enforcement, traffic police will determine the severity based on the situation. What constitutes illegal lane changing: 1. Sudden U-turns: This inherently violates the principle of straight-line priority. "I have seen vehicles suddenly making U-turns but unable to complete them in one go, thus affecting traffic in two lanes when reversing. Another scenario is when a vehicle deliberately encroaches on the right lane for convenience before suddenly making a U-turn, both of which can lead to unpredictable accidents." 2. Changing lanes in a solid line lane marked with a direction of travel: This usually occurs near intersections. Originally driving in a lane marked for left turns but needing to go straight, the driver suddenly changes direction into the straight lane, thereby crossing the solid white line. If caught by electronic police, a ticket will be issued. This situation easily leads to sideswipes or rear-end collisions with vehicles moving normally in the straight lane. 3. Changing lanes affecting others' driving: Similar to the actions of the female driver in Chengdu, this involves changing lanes while turning on the signal, affecting the vehicle behind. This also manifests in continuously changing two or more lanes diagonally, leading to more severe consequences. 4. Entering a designated lane but not following the guided direction: For example, waiting at a red light in a left-turn lane but accelerating straight when the straight light turns green. 5. Overtaking by crossing double yellow lines without barriers: This usually happens during congestion when one direction is jammed, and the opposite lane has fewer vehicles, prompting drivers to take illegal "shortcuts." Police warn that this can easily lead to major accidents, "because vehicles in the opposite lane might be moving too fast to avoid, easily causing collisions. In such cases, full responsibility is undeniable." 6. Entering a right-turn lane without slowing down: This refers to changing lanes some distance from a crossroad, especially when entering lanes that may mix with non-motorized vehicles. The correct approach is to signal, observe, and then slowly change direction. Changing lanes too quickly not only affects normally moving vehicles but also easily causes accidents. 7. Not passing through intersections in sequence: For instance, on a road with four lanes—leftmost for left turns, rightmost for right turns, and the middle two for straight—after the straight light turns green, vehicles should enter the intersection in order. However, many drivers impatiently overtake from both sides of the straight lanes, turning the original two straight lanes into four. "This violates the principle of sequential passage and constitutes a traffic violation."
A few days ago, I learned a lesson the hard way while changing lanes. I suddenly cut in without signaling, and a truck behind me honked aggressively, nearly causing a rear-end collision. Later, a traffic officer informed me that changing lanes in a way that affects the vehicle behind does indeed result in a 3-point penalty and a 200-yuan fine, mainly depending on whether you caused a dangerous situation. Now I’ve wised up—I always check the rearview mirror to confirm a safe distance before changing lanes and signal for at least three seconds in advance. Actually, this is one of the most common mistakes when driving in the city. During rush hour, everyone follows closely, and even a slight swerve can easily lead to an accident. I’ve installed a blind-spot monitoring system in my car, which is quite helpful—it beeps as a reminder when changing lanes. I recommend getting one. Remember the right-of-way rule: vehicles going straight always have priority. Forcing your way in not only leads to point deductions but could also make you fully liable for damages.
