3.2 Road Markings

Road Markings

Quick Answer: Road markings in Ghana are painted instructions with the force of law. A broken centre line may be crossed to overtake when safe; a solid continuous line must not be crossed; with double lines, you obey the line on your own side. A single solid transverse line is a stop line, while double broken transverse lines mean give way. Markings must agree with any accompanying signs.

Road markings work together with signs and signals to separate traffic streams, guide lanes, and show exactly where vehicles must stop or give way. Because paint fades quickly on heavily used Ghanaian roads, examiners expect you to know what each marking legally requires — and to obey the standing sign when the paint has worn away.

Centre Lines: Broken, Solid, and Double

The lines running along the middle of the road separate traffic flowing in opposite directions.

The double-line rule is a favourite exam item: you obey the line nearest to you — the line on your own side of the pair. A solid line on your side binds you even if oncoming drivers face a broken line.

Lane Lines and Lane Arrows

On multi-lane roads such as the N1 highway, broken white lane lines separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction. You may change lanes across a broken lane line after checking mirrors, blind spots, and signalling. Where lane changes would be dangerous — near junctions or toll plazas — solid lane lines are used instead.

White arrows painted on the road surface tell you which movements each lane permits: ahead only, left or right only, or a combination. Once you enter a lane governed by an arrow, you must follow it.

Edge Lines

A solid white edge line marks the outer boundary of the carriageway, separating the traffic lane from the shoulder. Do not drive on or beyond it except in an emergency. Edge lines are especially valuable at night and in dusty harmattan haze, when they may be your only guide to the edge of the paved surface.

Stop Lines and Give Way Lines

At signalled and signed junctions, transverse markings tell you exactly where your vehicle must halt:

• A single continuous (solid) white line across your lane is a stop line. Where a STOP sign or traffic light controls the junction, you must stop with your front wheels behind this line — not on it, and not past it.
• Double broken white lines across your lane are give way (transverse) lines. They appear with the Give Way sign: you need not stop dead if the way is clear, but you must slow down, be prepared to stop, and yield to traffic on the major road.

A simple memory hook: solid means stop, broken means give way.

Pedestrian (Zebra) Crossings

A zebra crossing is marked by broad white stripes laid across the carriageway, often with zigzag lines on the approach. Your duties are strict:

• Stop and give way to any pedestrian on the crossing — once a person has stepped onto the stripes, you must wait for them to clear your path.
• Slow down on approach whenever pedestrians are nearby.
• Never overtake a vehicle that has stopped at or near a zebra crossing — it may be hiding a pedestrian from your view.
• Never park on the crossing itself or on the zigzag approach lines.

Yellow Box Junctions and No-Stopping Zones

A yellow box junction — a square of criss-cross yellow lines painted at an intersection — means do not enter the box unless your exit is clear. You may wait inside it only when turning and your path is blocked solely by oncoming traffic. Entering the box and stopping there blocks cross traffic, is an offence, and causes gridlock. The same logic applies to other no-stopping zones.

Bus Stops and No-Parking Markings

Marked bus stops (boxed or lettered in white or yellow paint) are reserved for buses and trotros; private vehicles must not stop or park there. Solid or broken yellow edge markings and painted "NO PARKING" legends carry the same legal force as a no-parking sign.

Road Studs

Reflective road studs (cat's eyes) are small raised markers set into the road surface that bounce headlight beams back toward the driver at night and in rain. They outline centre lines, lane lines, and edges so you can hold your lane when the paint beneath them is invisible. Treat studded lines exactly as you would the painted line they follow.

Markings and Signs Must Agree

In Ghana, markings are normally installed together with signs: a solid centre line appears with a no-overtaking sign, and give way lines appear with the Give Way sign. Where both exist, they must agree — a marking will never lawfully contradict its sign. If the paint has faded, the standing sign still governs. And recall the priority order from Section 3.1: a police officer's directions outrank both signs and markings.