Did you know that the first roads were designed to get used by people riding bicycles? A huge part of the infrastructure of the United States of America is the road system that everyone uses on a daily basis. Road marking is vital for keeping drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians safe with each passing day.
When paving a street, odds are that you’ll also see a road marking crew putting lines and other markings on the road. Road markings are an essential part of road repairs and road work. Therefore, it is important that you know what these different markings mean.
The good news is that you’re in the right place to learn more about what the road markings that you see mean when you’re driving. Keep reading to learn more!
Yellow Lines
Yellow lines have a distinct meaning compared to white lines that you see on the road. If you see yellow lines in the middle of the road then that is a clear indication that the street accommodates two-way traffic with vehicles traveling in the opposite direction on the other side of the road.
These roads are also marked with white lines on the outer edge of the outside lane. This indicates where the outside of the road ends. If you’re driving and you notice the yellow thermoplastic road marking on your right then you’re driving on the wrong side of the road.
Sharrows
Sharrows are arrows that indicate that the lane that you’re driving in gets shared between people on bicycles and vehicles. There is a big difference between a designated bike lane and an area that uses sharrows. The bike lane is for bicyclists only while the shared lane can get used by vehicles and bikes alike.
Stop Lines
Another common road marking that you’ll see is the stop line. This marking looks like a bold white line that is perpendicular to the direction that you’re going. It is meant to indicate that you need to stop before reaching this large white marking. If you don’t see a stop line then make sure that you stop before entering the intersection.
HOV Lanes
You’ll also encounter HOV lanes at some point or another during your time behind the wheel. HOV lanes are lanes that get designated for use by vehicles that have a white diamond on them. From there, you’ll see signs that provide more information about the types of vehicles that are allowed to use that lane.
If you have the white diamond on your vehicle then feel free to proceed with driving in that HOV lane.
Now You’re a Road Marking Expert
The next time that you see road work underway or a construction company paving a street you’ll have a much better idea of the road marking that they’re placing on the street. Yellow lines indicate the middle of a two-way road or street while sharrows indicate areas that get shared between vehicles and bicycles.
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