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DMV Permit · Lane Use

Under what circumstances may a driver cross a solid yellow centre line to pass?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

A solid yellow line on YOUR side of the centre means no passing — you may NEVER cross a solid yellow centre line on your side to pass, regardless of traffic conditions

  1. A Only on two-lane roads with no centre line
  2. B A solid yellow line on YOUR side of the centre means no passing — you may NEVER cross a solid yellow centre line on your side to pass, regardless of traffic conditions
  3. C Whenever traffic is clear
  4. D Only if the other vehicle is driving slowly

Why this is the answer

Yellow centre line meaning:

Single solid yellow: Marks the centre of a two-way road.

Double solid yellow: Absolute no-passing zone in BOTH directions.

Dashed yellow: Passing permitted when safe (the dashes are on your side when passing is allowed from your direction).

Solid/dashed combination: The solid line side = no passing from that direction; the dashed line side = passing permitted from that direction when safe.

Rule: If the yellow line closest to your lane is SOLID, you may NOT pass — end of analysis; if it is DASHED, you may pass when safe; WHITE LINES separate lanes going the same direction; YELLOW LINES separate lanes of opposing traffic.

Source: DMV Rules of the Road — Yellow Centre Line Passing Rules

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About this topic: Lane Use

Lane use questions cover choosing the correct lane, lane markings (solid versus broken lines), HOV lanes, centre turn lanes, passing on the right and keeping right except to pass. This is one of 8 Rules of the Road questions on lane use, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our DMV Permit exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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