Highway Markings

Key points

1. Broken white lines mark lanes on roads with more than one lane going the same direction.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Broken or dashed white lines are used to mark traffic lanes on roads which have more than one lane moving in the same direction.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 32

2. Solid white lines between same direction lanes mean do not change lanes or pass.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “When solid white lines separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction, do not change lanes or pass.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 32

3. Solid yellow lines mean do not cross over or pass.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Solid yellow lines indicate that you are not to cross over or pass.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 32

4. With double yellow lines, you cannot pass if the line on your side is solid.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Double yellow lines mean you cannot pass if the lines on your side are solid [see picture (C)].”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 32

5. Always stop before the crosswalk.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Vehicles should always be stopped before the crosswalk.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 32

6. Center left turn lanes may not be used for passing or travel.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “These are not travel lanes and may not be used for passing.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 32

7. You may not travel more than 200 feet in a center turn lane before turning left, or 50 feet after turning in.

   Source: Handbook p. 32

   “Drivers may not travel more than 200 feet in a center turn lane before making a left-hand turn and they may not travel more than 50 feet in a center lane after making a left-hand turn”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 32

8. Never cross a double solid white line to enter or exit a carpool lane.

   Source: Handbook p. 39

   “A double solid white line means that you cannot cross the lines to enter or exit the car pool lane.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 39

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Nevada practice test

1. 1. What do solid white lines separating lanes moving in the same direction mean?

   1. Change lanes freely because the lines mark a passing area
   2. Do not change lanes or pass across those lines
   3. Cross only to enter an opposing traffic lane
   4. Stop before the line at every intersection
   Show answer

   Do not change lanes or pass across those lines. A solid white line between same-direction lanes marks a restriction on changing lanes or passing across it. Continue in the lane unless a lawful opening or other roadway instruction provides a different path. The free-passing choice reverses the meaning of a solid line, while crossing into opposing traffic is associated with a different road layout and line color. A stop line is a separate wide marking. Read the line pattern and color together before moving laterally.

2. 2. How far may a driver travel in a center turn lane before making a left turn?

   1. No more than 200 feet
   2. No more than 50 feet
   3. No more than 500 feet
   4. There is no stated distance limit
   Show answer

   No more than 200 feet. A center turn lane is for positioning for a left turn, not for traveling alongside traffic. Nevada limits travel in that lane to 200 feet before making the left turn. The 50-foot figure applies after turning left onto the highway before merging, so it describes a different part of the maneuver. Five hundred feet is not the handbook limit, and the absence-of-limit choice would turn a short preparation lane into an extra travel lane. Enter it only when the turn is approaching.

3. 3. What do double yellow lines mean when the lines on your side are solid?

   1. Passing is required
   2. You cannot pass
   3. Only motorcycles may cross
   4. Traffic travels in the same direction on both sides
   Show answer

   You cannot pass. Double yellow lines with solid lines on your side mark a no-passing condition. They separate opposing traffic, so crossing them to overtake would expose you to vehicles approaching from the other direction. The marking does not require passing, grant a special exception to motorcycles, or show that both sides move together. Keep your vehicle on your side of the center marking and wait for a lawful passing opportunity signaled by the roadway pattern.

Source: the Nevada Driver's Handbook, Chapter 3: Highway Markings. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.