White Paint is it all necessary?

Our roads are covered in white paint, but do drivers know what they all mean?

Looking at the results of our online Driver Profiling system the answer is ‘No’.

Yes, most drivers know you shouldn’t cross a solid white line in the centre of the road, but is that actually correct? Again, the answer is No, because the Highway Code states:

“Double white lines where the line nearest to you is solid. This means you MUST NOT cross or straddle it unless it is safe, and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road. You may cross the line if necessary, provided the road is clear, to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph (16 km/h) or less”.

What about all the other white lines, do you know what they mean? Some roads have white lines marking the edge of the road, but apart from knowing where the tarmac meets the grass/dirt what else can these white lines tell the intuitive driver? Quite a lot because where there is an entrance, even into a farmer’s field, the line will become a broken white line.

Now here is a question for you, and if you don’t know the answer please look it up. The Highway Code is full of useful information.

In the image you can see a double white line with reflective studs (cat’s eyes) between the lines. What will happen to those reflective studs after the solid white lines change to a hazard line?