Pavement Markings and Sign-Related Road Rules
Pavement Markings and Sign-Related Road Rules
Pavement markings work with signs to divide lanes, mark crosswalks, and show turning movements. The exam tests line colors, passing rules, stop lines, turn arrows, HOV markings, and rules such as right turn on red. In North Carolina, yellow lines separate opposite directions; white lines separate same-direction traffic or mark edges and crosswalks.
Core rules
- A broken yellow center line allows passing when safe; a solid yellow line means no passing from your side; double solid yellow means no passing in either direction.
- Broken white lines separate lanes going the same way and may be crossed to change lanes. Solid white edge lines mark the right edge; a yellow edge line may mark the left edge of a divided highway.
- A solid white stop line shows where to stop at a signal or stop sign. Stop before the line, not on the crosswalk. If no line exists, stop at the edge of the intersection.
- Crosswalk markings are white; yield to pedestrians in them. Turn arrows are white and mandatory-turn only from the lane marked for that movement.
- A diamond symbol marks an HOV lane. In North Carolina, HOV lanes require the posted number of occupants during posted hours; a solo driver may not use them then.
- Right turn on red is allowed after a complete stop unless a NO TURN ON RED sign is posted. The sign overrides the general permission.
Worked example
You are stopped at a red light in the right lane and want to turn right. A NO TURN ON RED sign is mounted beside the signal. The general rule would allow a right turn after stopping, but the posted sign prohibits it. You must wait for a green light and then turn when clear. Stopping first does not cancel the sign's restriction.
Traps that cost marks
Do not stop on the crosswalk or beyond the stop line. Do not treat a broken yellow line as permission to pass when a no-passing sign or pennant is present. Do not use an HOV lane solo during restricted hours. Do not turn from the wrong lane just because an arrow points nearby. And do not ignore a NO TURN ON RED sign-it is a regulatory restriction, not a suggestion.