Kansas · Handbook chapter 6 · 5 min read

Chapter 6: Pavement markings, lanes, turns and parking

Yellow and white lines, crosswalks and stop lines, shared center turn lanes, reversible and reserved lanes, lane use, right and left turns, turnabouts, U-turns, roundabouts, school buses, parking on hills and curb colors.

Why this chapter matters

Lines on the road tell you when you may pass and which lane to use. This chapter also covers the Kansas school bus law and parking on hills, both common test topics.

Yellow lines

• Yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions.
• A dashed yellow line: you may pass when there is a safe gap.
• A solid and dashed pair: do not pass if the solid line is on your side.
• Two solid yellow lines: neither side may pass. You may cross them to turn when there is a gap.

White lines

• White lines separate lanes going the same direction. A dashed white line may be crossed to change lanes; a solid white line means stay in your lane unless you must change.
• Solid white lines also mark turn lanes, the road's right edge and parking spaces. White arrows show which way traffic flows and which turns each lane may make.

Crosswalks and stop lines

• Stop behind the stop line, crosswalk or sign. If there is a stop line before the crosswalk, obey the stop line.
• Yield to pedestrians in or entering a crosswalk; not all crosswalks are marked.
• When leaving a driveway, alley or business, stop as if there were a STOP sign, behind the sidewalk, and yield to all pedestrians and traffic.

Special lanes

• Shared center left turn lane: for left turns from either direction only. Do not enter it too early, and never use it to pass.
• Reversible lanes: green arrow, use the lane; red X, do not; flashing yellow X, turning only; steady yellow X, the lane is changing, so leave it safely.
• Reserved lanes often have a white diamond. HOV lanes need two or more people; "HOV 3" means at least three.

Lane use and turning

• Never back up in a travel lane except to parallel park. If you miss a turn, go on and turn around safely.
• On a road with two or more lanes in your direction, keep right except to pass. With three or more, use the center lane when lots of traffic enters and leaves.
• Never drive or pass on the shoulder.
• Turn into the closest lane going your way. Turn right from the right-most lane without swinging wide, and left from the left-most lane.
• With multiple turn lanes, pick your lane at least a block ahead and finish the turn in the matching lane.
• The safest way to change direction is to go around the block. On the interstate, go to the next exit; crossing the median is illegal.
• A two-point turnabout is safest when you back into a driveway. A three-point turnabout is the most difficult and dangerous; use it only on a narrow two-lane road when you cannot go around the block.
• U-turns are not legal everywhere. Move far right, wait for a big gap both ways, then turn.

Roundabouts

• Traffic moves counterclockwise around a center island. Slow to about 15 to 20 mph and yield to traffic already in the circle, plus pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Choose your lane before entering; do not change lanes or pass inside, and do not drive beside large vehicles.
• Signal right when turning right; signal right before your exit when going straight; when turning left, signal right after going about three quarters of the way around.

School buses

• Stop for a school bus stopped with red lights flashing and/or its stop arm out. Wait until the lights stop and the arm is pulled in, then watch for children until they are off the road.
• You must stop whether the bus is on your side or the other side on a road with two solid yellow lines, a center turn lane, or multiple lanes, and at an intersection.
• You do not have to stop if the bus is coming toward you and the road is separated by a median or other physical barrier.

Parking

• Always set the parking brake, then put the car in park (or in gear for a manual). Turn off headlights and engine before removing the key, and check traffic before opening your door.
• Park parallel and within 12 inches of the curb or road edge.
• Downhill, with or without a curb: turn wheels toward the curb or edge.
• Uphill with a curb: turn wheels away from the curb and let the tire roll back against it.
• Uphill without a curb: turn wheels toward the edge of the road.
• Do not park within 15 feet of a hydrant, within 30 feet of a signal, stop sign or yield sign, within 50 feet of a railroad crossing, more than 1 foot from the curb, within 20 feet of a fire station driveway (75 feet across the street), on a bridge or in a tunnel, or against the flow of traffic.
• Curb colors: white, short stops only; yellow, loading zone or other limit; blue, disability parking; red, fire zone.