Traffic congestion in major cities makes driving challenging. Xe Tai My Dinh often receives the question: “Can cars use truck lanes?” We provide an in-depth analysis based on current laws to address this question.
Lawyer Tao Van Dung provides advice on regulations regarding cars entering truck lanes, ensuring compliance with traffic laws.
Legal Basis for Lane Separation and Cars Entering Truck Lanes
To understand if cars can enter truck lanes, we need to understand road traffic laws regarding lane separation. Articles 9 and 13 of the Law on Road Traffic outline the following:
- Drive in the correct lane: Road users must travel on the right-hand side, in the correct lane, and comply with road signs.
- Lane separation on multi-lane roads: On roads with multiple lanes in the same direction, lanes are separated by lane markings. Drivers must stay in one lane and only change lanes where permitted, signaling and ensuring safety.
- Separate lanes for each type of vehicle: On one-way roads with lane markings, slow-moving vehicles must use the rightmost lane, while motorized vehicles use the left lane. Slower vehicles must stay to the right.
Road signs also play a crucial role in lane separation. Sign R.412 (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h) indicates “Lane reserved for each type of vehicle” or group of vehicles. These signs are placed above the lane and at the beginning of the road in the direction of travel. The sign shows the corresponding symbol and arrow depending on the type of vehicle.
According to QCVN 41:2019/BGTVT, Circular 54/2019/TT-BGTVT section E, other vehicles not specified on the sign cannot enter the designated lane. This includes cars entering lanes with the “Truck Lane” sign (usually R.412b).
Exception: Can Cars Use Bus Lanes?
A special case is sign R.412e “Bus Lane”. If the lane marking for the bus lane is dashed, other vehicles, including cars, can enter the bus lane. However, cars must yield to buses and give way when a bus wants to overtake.
This means that if the bus lane marking is dashed, cars can temporarily move into this lane to go straight or turn, but must ensure they do not obstruct buses and prioritize them.
Cars Entering Truck Lanes: Violations and Penalties
Based on current laws, cars cannot enter lanes reserved for trucks (lanes with sign R.412b). Cars intentionally entering truck lanes is considered a lane violation.
The penalty for lane violations for cars is severe. According to Clause 5 and Clause 11 of Article 5 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Clause 34 of Article 2 of Decree 123/2021/ND-CP), drivers of cars who violate lane rules can be fined from 4,000,000 VND to 6,000,000 VND.
Legal advice section on Tuoi Tre newspaper, answering questions about traffic laws and legal issues related to trucks.
Conclusion
The answer to “Can cars use truck lanes?” is NO, except in emergencies or to avoid other dangerous situations, and must comply with traffic laws. Complying with lane regulations helps drivers avoid penalties, ensures traffic safety, reduces congestion, and improves legal compliance.
As experts on trucks and related issues, Xe Tai My Dinh hopes this article provides helpful information and helps readers understand road traffic regulations. Contact us with any questions.
