Our roads are marked with a variety of painted lines, but what do they mean? Some act as substitutes for signposts, others tell us when to stop or slow down, while one does its best to keep us off the O-Bahn busway.
Words: John Pedler
1. YELLOW EDGE LINE
A continuous yellow edge line plays the role of a no-stopping sign, indicating you must not stop on the side of a road, even to pick up or drop off passengers.
A broken yellow edge line is used when stopping is restricted to particular vehicle types, such as buses or Australia Post vans.
Exemptions to the no-stopping rule include medical emergencies, breakdowns and following police instructions.
Line loafing
The penalty for stopping on the side of a road with a yellow edge line is $120 plus a $105 Victims of Crime Levy.
2. CONTINUOUS AND BROKEN DIVIDING LINES TOGETHER
If the broken line is to the left of the continuous line in the direction you’re travelling, you can overtake if it’s safe to do so. A broken line to the right of the continuous line, means it’s illegal to cross, unless you’re:
• Avoiding an obstruction, not including a slow-moving vehicle or a vehicle stopped in traffic.
• Overtaking a cyclist, if it’s safe and you allow the required distance between your vehicle and the cyclist.
• Entering or leaving the road.
Before overtaking, make sure you can see the road ahead is clear of approaching vehicles. Keep in mind it’s illegal to cross a double continuous line to enter or leave the road.
Crossing the line
You could be fined $478, plus a $105 Victims of Crime Levy and two demerit points for failing to keep left of a continuous dividing line. If you cross double continuous lines, the fine is the same but the demerit points increase to three.
3. ZIGZAG LINES
White zigzag lines appear on the road on the approach to a school zone, to remind drivers to slow down. A 25km/h speed limit applies when a child, or anyone wearing a school uniform, is in a school zone, whether they’re on the road, footpath, median strip, or even riding a bike.
The school zone speed limit applies whenever children are present, not just during school hours.
Schooled
Depending on how much you exceed the speed limit in a school zone, the penalty ranges from $208 to a whopping $1954, plus a $105 Victims of Crime Levy and between two and nine demerit points.
4. STOP AND GIVE-WAY LINES
A continuous line across the road carries the same weight as a stop sign, and you must stop at the line even if there isn’t a sign.
At give-way lines, which are broken rather than continuous, you must slow down and, if necessary, stop to give way to approaching traffic.
In both cases, you must give way to all vehicles, except:
• Oncoming vehicles turning right from a road with a stop or give-way sign.
• Oncoming vehicles turning left at a slip lane.
• A vehicle doing a U-turn (unless the give-way or stop sign is in a road related area, like the exit of a shopping centre car park).
If you’re turning right or left, give way to pedestrians crossing the road you’re entering. At traffic light, school crossing and railway crossing stop lines, follow the signals.
Stopped
Be prepared for a $530 fine, a $105 Victims of Crime Levy and three demerit points if you fail to stop and/or give way at an intersection with a stop sign/line, or fail to give way at a give-way sign/line.
5. O-BAHN LANE LINE
If you’re driving on Hackney Road near Botanic Park and see red lines on both sides of your vehicle, move into one of the left lanes as soon as it’s safe. These lines mark the O-Bahn tunnel approach and exit lanes. Extra clues include prominent signs and the words ‘bus only’ in painted red boxes on the road surface.
There are several other red bus-only lanes around the city and suburbs, usually on approach to intersections. Apart from emergency service vehicles and public buses, no other traffic, including bicycles, is allowed to enter or cross these lanes.
Busted
Driving or stopping in a red bus-only lane could cost you $289 plus a $105 Victims of Crime Levy.
IMAGES: Getty
Do you have a road safety question
Speak to RAA’s road safety experts on 8202 4517 or email roadsafety@raa.com.au
