Question: Can you explain what the lines on the highways and streets indicate? I feel like a lot of people can’t figure it out. Thanks.

Answer: Pavement markings direct and regulate traffic.

White lines separate lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction.

• White dashes: You can change lanes where this marking is present.

• Shorter and thicker white dashes: The lane is ending.

• Solid white line: You should not change lanes. Solid white lines also mark crosswalks, stop lines at intersections, parking stalls and the edges of a roadway.

• Double solid white lines: You must not change lanes.

• Solid white line with bicycle insignia: This area is for bicycle or electric-assist bicycle traffic only.

• If you are on a bicycle, you must travel in the same direction as adjacent traffic.

Yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions.

• Solid yellow line: You must not pass. Passing in a no-passing zone is illegal.

• Yellow dashes: You may pass.

• Mixed lines (solid and dashes): A solid yellow line may appear on one side of the roadway while a line of dashes appears on the other side. You must obey the marking in your lane of traffic.

• Double solid yellow lines: You must not pass, regardless of which side of the line you are driving.

Question: In your last article you wrote about “pavement markings.” Could you talk about “turn lanes” as I think there are quite a few people who get confused by this?

Answer: Turn lanes near intersections separate left-turning or right-turning traffic from through traffic. White arrows, sometimes accompanied by the word “only,” indicate that drivers must stay within a designated lane while turning onto the cross street. If your vehicle is in this type of lane, you must turn. Some turn lanes have multiple arrows, allowing you to turn left or right, or to go straight. To discourage drivers from changing lanes near an intersection, turn lanes are separated from through traffic lanes by solid white lines.

A center lane between lanes of traffic traveling in opposite directions may be designated for left turns only. This type of lane is marked by parallel solid and dashed yellow lines. These lines are sometimes accompanied by white arrows on the pavement. Vehicles traveling in either direction can use these lanes to make left turns onto another roadway or a driveway.