The average driver is often mystified by the most basic traffic
guidelines: painted pavement lines. Here are some basic rules
and some not-so-well understood meanings of traffic-line law.
White lines separate traffic travelling in the same direction.
When the white line separating traffic lanes is solid, it is not
legal to cross such a line to change lanes. These solid white
lines often precede an intersection with a marked crosswalk.
Vehicular traffic is forbidden to change lanes for the
protection and safety of the pedestrians wishing to cross the
street in the crosswalk. These solid lines also discourage lane-
changing in an intersection, which is not technically illegal,
but unsafe all the same. It is very important for vehicle
drivers to stay in their lane when crossing an intersection.
Visibility for left turners is often limited and vehicles that
pass on the right side in particular are hidden from oncoming
cars, bikes and pedestrians. Solid white lines are also painted
on dramatic road curves to preven