US pavement markings and their meanings
Pavement markings are rules and guidance painted on the road. Two questions decode most of them: is the line yellow or white, and is it solid or broken?
MUTCD Section 3A.03: yellow lines separate traffic traveling in opposite directions and mark the left edge of divided highways and one-way roads; white lines separate traffic going the same way and mark the right edge of the road.
Section 3A.04: a double line means maximum or special restrictions, a solid line discourages or prohibits crossing, and a broken line means crossing is allowed.
The pictures on these pages are our own simplified diagrams, not to scale.
US pavement markings
Yellow center linesYellow lines separate opposite directions.
White lane linesWhite lines separate lanes going the same way.
Two-way left-turn laneA center lane for left turns from both directions.
Stop lines and crosswalksWhere to stop, and where people cross.
Test yourself
What does a yellow line on the road separate?
- Traffic going in opposite directions
- Lanes going the same way
- Parking spaces
Show answer
A. Traffic going in opposite directions. Section 3A.03: yellow longitudinal lines separate traffic traveling in opposite directions. Source: MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 3, Markings: Sections 3A.03, 3A.04, FHWA; MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA
Every sign page has its own quick question. Then see what to expect on the permit test.
More signs and markings
Sources
- MUTCD 11th Edition, Part 3, Markings: Sections 3A.03, 3A.04, FHWA
- MUTCD 11th Edition, FHWA. FHWA lists the current version as the 11th Edition with Revision 1, dated December 2025
Sign pictures are our own simplified drawings of the MUTCD designs, which are in the public domain (MUTCD Section 1D.06). Sources and image credits.