Special lanes, unmarked roads and traffic officers
A 3-minute lesson from the Missouri course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Some lanes come with their own rules: dual-use lanes, shared center lanes, and roads with no lane markings at all. And when an officer is directing traffic, the officer's directions come before any sign or signal.
Know the rule
Dual-use lanes have both a turn arrow and a straight arrow. When both arrows show on the signal, you may turn or go straight. If you want to turn and only the straight arrow shows, wait for the turn arrow.
Shared center lanes may be used by vehicles from both directions for left turns (or U-turns where permitted). Left-turn arrows alternate by direction, and the lane is edged by solid yellow and dashed yellow lines. Turn as soon as your path is clear.
Obey traffic officers at all times. If an officer is directing traffic, do what the officer says and ignore signs and signals. If the officer signals you to stop at a green light, you must stop.
The light at an intersection is green, but a police officer in the intersection signals you to stop. You stop. The officer's directions override the signal.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
On a road with three or more lanes traveling in the same direction, you should use the center lane as your default lane when traffic is light.
True
False
Answer: False
On a road with three or more lanes in the same direction, stay in the right lane except to pass; use the center lane only when there is considerable traffic entering the right lane.
