Learning Your Road Markings

Knowing your road’s standard markings is not only important in your driving tests, but it is critical in every driving trip you make. Familiarizing yourself with the different types and meanings of these markings will keep you safe from road accidents and from legal violations.

Standard markers and road markings are signage marks applied on the road pavement using road paint.  These markers have different meanings and are used as guides for every driver on the road.  They usually indicate directions, hazard warnings, stops or halts, and turning points. Though each state has their own laws regarding traffic and road safety, standard markings are federally established for the main interstate highways.

Below are the standard road markings that you should learn by heart:

Center lines – these lines are marked or painted in the middle of the road to divide traffic lanes. Center lines are painted in yellow or white and the pattern can be solid or broken, each of them indicating different rules of the road.

• Yellow center lines are used to divide lanes of opposite traffic and are often seen on two-way highways. Yellow lines that are broken indicate that vehicles are permitted to pass the line and cross over to the other lane. Yellow lines that are solid indicate that vehicles are only permitted to pass and cross over to the other lane when necessary and safe to do so. Double yellow lines that are solid indicate that no passing or crossing is permitted for any vehicle.

• White center lines are used to divide lanes of same-direction traffic and are commonly seen in one-way roads. White lines that are broken indicate that vehicles are permitted to pass and cross over to the other lane. White lines that are solid indicate that vehicles are only permitted to pass and cross when necessary and safe to do so. Double white lines that are solid indicate that no passing and crossing of vehicles is permitted.

Stop lines – These lines are usually painted in white and are marked across the road. These lines indicate that vehicles must stop before the line.  Stop lines accompany crosswalks and turning points where there are traffic lights.

Edge lines – These are solid lines are painted in white and applied near the edge of the road. They indicate the boundary of the road pavement and no vehicle is permitted to pass because it is unsafe.

Cross walks – These are the road lines that are mark a portion of the road that is designated for pedestrians. These are also called zebra lines because the road paint is applied as white rectangles that lay perpendicular to the traffic lines. Cross walks are usually accompanied by stop lines so that vehicles are warned to stop before the cross walk to let the crossing pedestrians safely get to the other side before proceeding.

Arrows – These markings indicate the direction vehicles must turn in order to reach the next lane correctly and safely.

Aside from these standard markings, many other markings may be used by different states. It is important that you study the road markers of another state before attempting to drive or pass through those states. Also, you must be keen and alert so you can catch even the worn out road markings.

Road paint may wear out over time and may become difficult for drivers to recognize them clearly from afar. It is also part of your civil responsibility to report or complain any faded markings because they pose risks to drivers. This will alert the government to take action in replacing or repainting the old and faded markings using new paint for road markings by Ennis Flint.