What is the white semicircular marking inside the circle?
3 Answers
It is a distance confirmation line. The distance between each semicircular marking is 30 cm, and they appear in continuous groups spaced 50 meters apart. When vehicles reach the distance confirmation line section, it is essential to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead to avoid traffic accidents. Here is additional information: Slow down when passing distance confirmation lines: Vehicles must reduce speed and maintain sufficient distance from the vehicle in front to ensure driving safety and prevent accidents. Sections with distance confirmation lines are often accident-prone areas or locations where major traffic accidents have occurred, so extra caution is required. There are two types of distance confirmation lines: The first is the white zigzag distance confirmation line, and the second is the white semicircular distance confirmation line. Their purpose is the same, although the measurement methods differ. Both serve as safety warnings on the road to prevent traffic accidents while driving.
Don't panic when you suddenly see white semicircular patterns on the road while driving—these are markings indicating speed bumps ahead. The first time I saw them, I was puzzled too, but later realized they usually appear at school zones or residential entrances, painted about a dozen meters before semicircular speed bumps. The white arcs outline the shape of the speed bump, resembling a crescent moon, serving as an early warning. Spotting them means you should ease off the accelerator immediately; otherwise, hitting the bump abruptly will cause severe jolts, potentially launching items from the back seat. Some areas also pair them with diamond-shaped deceleration warning lines for double assurance, reminding drivers to control their speed.
That white semi-circular marking is a speed hump warning sign. I specifically asked my traffic police friend about it during our chat. These markings always appear about 20 meters before curved speed bumps, typically in narrow village roads or factory zones. The crescent moon shape is particularly eye-catching, with reflective properties during the day and cat's eye road studs at night. Interestingly, some people mistake them for parking space markings until they drive past and realize they've been tricked. I remember last time when passing through a urban village, seeing these semicircles painted on the road—I had just slowed down when an electric scooter suddenly darted out ahead. Fortunately, the reduced speed prevented an accident.