A 3-minute lesson from the New York course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Lines on the road divide lanes and tell you where you may pass or change lanes. The color tells you which way traffic moves; whether a line is solid or broken tells you if you may cross it. The arrows in these diagrams show the direction of traffic.
Know the rule
Solid lines along the side of the road mark its edge, where the travel lane ends and the shoulder begins. It is illegal to cross the edge line except when a police officer or other authorized official tells you to, or an official sign allows it.
White lines separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction. Yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions. There may be two lines between lanes, and lines can be solid or broken.
Solid line with a broken line: on the solid-line side you may not pass or cross except to turn left into a driveway. On the broken-line side you may pass if it's safe and you won't interfere with traffic.
Double solid lines: you cannot pass or change lanes. You may cross only to turn left to enter or leave the highway, such as to or from a driveway or to make a U-turn.
You're on a two-lane road behind a slow truck. On your side of the center there's a solid yellow line with a broken line on the far side. You may not pass here. You may cross it only to turn left into a driveway.
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.
What do double solid yellow lines mean?
You may pass only during daylight
No passing; cross only to turn left
You must always stop before crossing them
They mark a reversible lane
Answer: No passing; cross only to turn left
Double solid lines mean you cannot pass or change lanes, and cannot cross except to turn left or make a legal U-turn.
