Yellow Lines Different?

Q: What is the difference between a broken yellow line and a single yellow line? Passing is allowed when safe for each of them.

A: If a driver is proceeding on a roadway that has a broken yellow line may pass a vehicle on the left provided that the driver executing the passing maneuver can do so safely without interfering with oncoming traffic and the vehicle which is being pass. A broken yellow line is normally present fro passing when the roadway has the best conditions for passing.

A single solid yellow line is normally found on stretches of roadway where there is occasions to pass on the left. It is not against the law to pass on the left on a single solid yellow line as long as the maneuver can be done safely.

Highway lines
Section 155 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act indicates that despite anything in this Part, if a highway is marked with
(a) a solid double line, the driver of a vehicle must drive it to the right of the line only,
(b) a double line consisting of a broken line and a solid line,
(i) the driver of a vehicle proceeding along the highway on the side of the broken line must drive the vehicle to the right of the double line, except when passing an overtaken vehicle, and
(ii) the driver of a vehicle proceeding along the highway on the side of the solid line must drive the vehicle to the right of the double line, except only when finishing the passing of an overtaken vehicle, and
(c) one single line, broken or solid, the driver of a vehicle must drive the vehicle to the right of the line, except only when passing an overtaken vehicle.
(2) Subsection (1) (b) (i) and (c) do not apply if a driver is avoiding an obstruction on the highway and first ascertains that the movement can be made with safety and without affecting the travel of any other vehicle.

Suspension of sections 151 and 155
Section 156 of the Motor Vehicle Act indicates that if the driver of a vehicle is causing the vehicle to enter or leave a highway and the driver has ascertained that he or she might do so with safety and does so without unreasonably affecting the travel of another vehicle, the provisions of sections 151 and 155 are suspended with respect to the driver while the vehicle is entering or leaving the highway.

Constable R.A.(Richard) ASELTON
Central Okanagan Traffic Services - Media Liaison
Kelowna R.C.M.P. Detachment

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