Did you know that 89% of American adults have a driver’s license? All of these people must have passed a driver’s training course, which includes information on being a safe and cautious driver.
One of the most important things when driving is being careful and aware of your surroundings. Modern vehicles have a lot of things to help with this, like sensors or backup cameras.
In addition to that, there are plenty of safety measures in place for people that are operating a vehicle outside of the vehicle as well. When you’re driving down a paved street, if you stop to look around you’ll notice road markings that all mean different things. Do you know what you’re looking at or why they are there?
Keep reading to learn more about road markings and what they mean.
What Do Different Color Road Markings Mean?
Most people that see road markings know that they are meant to indicate different things to pedestrians and drivers. Such as where to drive or where you can pass someone. However, there are different colored road markings that indicate specific information people need to know if they want to stay safe.
Almost everywhere, you’ll come across yellow and white road markings.
Yellow road markings are meant to show you the direction that traffic is traveling. When you see this type of marking, you need to stay on your side of the yellow to avoid a collision.
White road markings, on the other hand, will indicate traffic that is going in the same direction with different lanes. White lines will also indicate the shoulder of the road and where the “center” of the road lies.
Temporary Colors or Markings
If you ever see road work, such as for an infrastructure project or general construction. You’re likely going to notice toward the end that the workers add these markings so that people know where they are supposed to go. This helps to ensure everyone is safe on the road.
These might change as the project goes on so that traffic is able to flow through the worksite without interruption. If you see thermoplastic road marking indicators, you are likely driving through a construction zone or recently finished area, so it’s important to be cautious.
When Else Would You See Road Markings?
Aside from the lines that you see to indicate different lanes, in certain parts of the country, you might also see symbols.
Diamond symbols are typically white and will tell you that the lane is meant for high-occupancy vehicles only.
You may also see a bicycle stamp on the road, which would mean that is a bike lane only. Vehicles are not permitted to drive in the bike lane.
In a turn lane, you might see an arrow that is indicating which direction that lane is supposed to go. This is to help avoid any potential accidents or confusion with other drivers on the road.
Pay Attention to Road Markings
Whether you’re driving or walking near a paved road, you need to be aware of the road markings. This will help to keep you safe within your lane, but it will also give you important information about what other drivers may be planning to do so that you can avoid causing an accident.
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