4.1 Road Markings and Lane Use
Key Takeaways
Regulation 101 defines a traffic sign to include 'any line, stud or mark on a road', so markings are enforceable under regulation 103.
Stop at a solid stop line at signals or a STOP sign; at a broken give-way line, give way to traffic on the road you are entering.
Do not cross or straddle an unbroken line on your side of the road; a broken line on your side may be crossed when it is safe.
You must not wait on a curve marked with lines, metallic eyes or studs, or on any other curve or bend (reg. 97).
Only motor omnibuses may use a lane marked for omnibuses (reg. 31A), and vehicles in a parking place must stay within the marked bay (reg. 99).
Road markings carry the same legal force as upright signs. Regulation 101(1) of the Road Traffic Regulations, 1984 defines a "traffic sign" to include "any line, stud or mark on a road," and regulation 103 makes it an offence to fail to comply with a lawfully placed traffic sign. A line on the road is an instruction, not a decoration.
Lines across the road
| Marking | Where | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Solid stop line | At light signals (regs. 108 and 112(5)) and with a STOP sign | Stop with your vehicle behind the line |
| Broken line across your lane (give-way line) | At the mouth of a junction or roundabout entry, often with a GIVE WAY sign | Give way to traffic on the road you are entering, and stop at the line if necessary |
| Stripes across the road (alternate black and white) | Pedestrian crossings (Seventh Schedule) | Pedestrians on the crossing have precedence (see 4.2) |
Lines along the road
The Barbados regulations treat these lines as traffic signs, and the Barbados regulation-test question-and-answer material explains their meaning in these terms:
| Line along the centre | Meaning for you |
|---|---|
| Single unbroken white line | Do not drive so as to cross or straddle it |
| Broken white line | You may cross it to overtake or turn when it is safe |
| Unbroken line with a broken line on your side | You may cross both lines when it is safe, and must be able to finish before the line on your side becomes unbroken |
| Unbroken line on your side, broken line beyond | Do not cross or straddle either line |
| Double unbroken lines | No vehicle may cross to, or drive on, the far side of these lines |
The line nearest to you governs what you may do. Combine this with regulation 31(6). Even where lines allow it, you must not overtake unless you can see that the road is clear far enough ahead, and never at a corner, at an intersection or fork, or over the brow of a hill or a humpbacked bridge. Barbados test answers also list "where there is a continuous line more than nine metres long" among the places where overtaking is not allowed.
Striped areas and edge lines
Areas of diagonal or chevron stripes (Barbados test papers call areas of yellow stripes "chevrons") separate traffic streams or protect turning traffic. Do not drive on them or stop on them unless it is necessary and safe. Edge lines mark the edge of the carriageway. Stay inside them, and remember that pedestrians often walk just beyond them where there is no sidewalk.
Studs and metallic eyes
Reflective road studs and "metallic eyes" mark lanes and curves, especially at night. Regulation 97 forbids allowing a vehicle to wait or remain stationary "on any curve or on any road that is marked by lines, metallic eyes or studs" placed by the Chief Technical Officer, and on any other curve or bend. Studs also mark the limits of an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing (Seventh Schedule).
Lane use at junctions
Where a road has marked lanes but no arrows or signs telling you otherwise, the Barbados regulation-test material gives this lane discipline:
| Lanes on your side | Turning right | Going straight on | Turning left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three lanes | Right-hand lane | Centre lane | Left-hand lane |
| Two lanes | Right-hand lane | Left-hand lane | Left-hand lane |
Where arrows are painted in the lanes, follow the arrow for the lane you are in. Choose your lane early using mirror, signal, manoeuvre, so you do not have to cut across other lanes at the last moment.
Bus lanes and lay-bys
- Regulation 31A: no driver of a vehicle other than a motor omnibus may drive in a lane marked or signed for omnibuses only.
- Regulation 31(10)(a): you must not draw up in a bus lay-by unless you are driving an omnibus or minibus.
Parking-bay markings
In a parking place, you must park within the area marked by lines or studs (reg. 99), and obey any sign about the number of vehicles, time limits, position and fees (reg. 98). Parking across two bays, or outside the marked area, is an offence.
Note
Do not import foreign kerb-colour codes. Some other countries use yellow kerb lines with fixed meanings such as "no waiting at any time." The Barbados regulations rely on signs, plates and the specific rules in regulations 31, 94 and 96 to 100, so read the sign.
Why is ignoring a road marking an offence in Barbados?
Regulation 101 makes lines, studs and marks traffic signs
Only markings repeated on an upright sign nearby are legally binding
Markings are advice only, so it is not an offence
Only the police may enforce markings, and only at night
The centre of the road has an unbroken line on your side and a broken line beyond it. What may you do?
Cross both lines because the broken line permits it
Straddle the lines while overtaking a cyclist
Cross both lines if you overtake quickly
Not cross or straddle either line
You are in the left lane of a three-lane approach with no arrows or signs, and you want to go straight on. Which lane should you be in?
The centre lane
The left-hand lane
Whichever lane is moving fastest
The right-hand lane
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.