What is the purpose of road markings such as dashed lines vs solid lines?

• A. Dashed lines indicate permissible lane changes or passing; solid lines indicate no passing or no lane changes.
• B. Dashed lines always indicate bus lanes.
• C. Solid lines indicate speed limits.
• D. Road markings have no regulatory meaning.

Answer: (A)

Road markings regulate how you use lanes and when you may pass. Dashed lines indicate you may cross the line to change lanes or to pass another vehicle when it’s safe and the way is clear. Solid lines mean you must stay in your lane and you should not cross them to pass or change lanes. This system keeps traffic flowing predictably and helps prevent head-on crashes by clearly signaling when lane changes or passing are allowed. So, dashed lines give the go-ahead for passing when safe, while solid lines stop you from crossing. Other statements aren’t accurate because bus lanes aren’t defined by dashed lines, speed limits aren’t shown by solid lines, and road markings do carry regulatory meaning.