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Oregon driving lesson · Lane Travel & Speed

White and Red Pavement Markings

A 3-minute lesson from the Oregon course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Lane Travel & Speed
Checkpoint questions
5
Source pages
31, 32, 33

White markings organize traffic going your way: lane lines, edge lines, turn lanes, crosswalks and stop lines. Red markings are newer and belong to transit. How a white line is drawn — solid, wide, broken, dotted or double — tells you whether you may cross it.

White markings

Separate lanes of traffic flowing in the same direction and mark the right edge of travel lanes. Also used for crosswalks, stop lines, symbols and words.

Handbook p. 31 ↗

Know the rule

Solid white line: used for an edge line (fog line) to help you stay on the road.

Handbook p. 31 ↗

White lane lines

White lane lines
LineMeaningMay you cross?
Wide solid whiteDirects traffic into lanes; separates bike lanesPermitted but discouraged
Broken whiteSeparates lanes going the same directionYes, with caution
Dotted whiteShort dots, closer than a broken lineYes, with caution
Double solid whiteUsually with a no-lane-change signNo — stay in your lane
Handbook p. 32 ↗

What a dotted white line tells you

  • Before an exit ramp or intersection: your lane won't continue on the same route (turn-only or exit-only)
  • At a freeway entrance ramp: you're entering the freeway and must merge
  • Within an intersection: it guides you into the proper lane
Handbook p. 32 ↗
No lane changes
Double solid white with No Lane Changes sign

Know the rule

Marked crosswalk: white lines where pedestrians cross. Stop when a pedestrian is in the crosswalk.

Handbook p. 32 ↗

Other white markings

  • Stop line: a solid white line across your lane showing where you must stop
  • Bike lane: a wide white line with a bicycle symbol or bike lane sign; may be painted green
  • Yield line: a row of triangles pointing toward your vehicle, showing where you must yield
  • White chevrons: fixed objects ahead or areas where vehicle use is not allowed
Handbook p. 33 ↗
Yield line (shark teeth)
Yield line (triangles)

Red markings

Show where transit-only vehicles — like buses, light rail trains (LRT) or bikes — may travel continuously. Not all Transit Only lanes are red, so look for signs.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

Solid red lane: a Transit Only lane, not for cars. It may also say BUS ONLY, BUS BIKE ONLY or LRT.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

Striped red lines: show where you may enter the Transit Only lane to turn, park or enter a driveway.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
Transit-only lane markings (driveway crossing)
Striped red: enter to turn

Put it into practice

Approaching a freeway exit, the broken lane line on your right turns into a dotted line. Your lane is about to become exit only. If you don't want to exit, move left with caution now.

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.

A solid white line along the right edge of the road is used as:
  1. An edge line, also called a fog line
  2. A no-passing indicator
  3. A bike lane divider
  4. A bus-only lane marking

Answer: An edge line, also called a fog line

A solid white line is used for an edge or fog line to help drivers stay on the road.

Handbook p. 31 ↗
A double solid white line between lanes means you are:
  1. Free to change lanes with caution
  2. Not allowed to change lanes
  3. Entering a bike lane
  4. Allowed to cross only to exit

Answer: Not allowed to change lanes

Double solid white lines mean lane changes are prohibited.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
A dotted white line before a freeway exit or intersection indicates:
  1. A merge lane requiring a full stop
  2. A reversible lane
  3. Your lane ends or becomes exit-only
  4. A bike lane only

Answer: Your lane ends or becomes exit-only

Dotted lines warn that your lane is ending, like an exit-only lane.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
A solid red lane marking on the roadway typically means:
  1. It is a Transit Only lane, not for cars
  2. It is for emergency vehicles only
  3. It marks a construction detour
  4. It is a passing lane

Answer: It is a Transit Only lane, not for cars

Solid red lanes are reserved for transit vehicles.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
A wide solid white line may be used to separate a bike lane from other traffic lanes.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

Wide solid white lines can separate bike lanes from traffic.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
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