Can you change lanes with a single solid yellow line?
2 Answers
A single solid yellow line does not allow lane changes. Here is more information: 1. Meanings of different road markings. A center dashed line allows crossing for overtaking or turning, a single solid yellow center line prohibits driving on or crossing the line, a yellow center line with one solid and one dashed side prohibits vehicles on the solid side from crossing the line to overtake or turn left, a double solid yellow center line strictly prohibits vehicles from crossing the line to overtake or driving on the line, and white lane dividers separate vehicles traveling in the same direction. 2. Penalties for crossing a solid line to change lanes. A single solid yellow line is generally set up in areas with low traffic volume and narrow roads. Crossing it without special circumstances will result in a fine of 100 yuan and 3 demerit points. A yellow no-parking line is usually set up beside the road, indicating no parking. If caught by the traffic violation monitoring system, it will result in a fine of 200 yuan but no demerit points.
After driving for so many years, nothing annoys me more than lane changes over solid yellow lines—those lines are ironclad rules! I’ve witnessed too many accidents firsthand—last year on the overpass in that solid yellow zone, someone forced a lane change and dragged an e-bike under their car. Yellow lines are the traffic police’s 'invisible walls.' Forget just a line; even changing lanes over dashed lines requires signaling and checking mirrors. Cameras snapping solid-line violations mean an instant 3 points and a 200-yuan fine, but what’s scarier is a sudden e-bike darting out. A reminder to new drivers: swerving the wheel to change lanes is for driving school—on the road, treat solid yellows like concrete barriers!
