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4.1 Road Markings and Lane Use

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Barbados Regulation Examination Exam

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1 Chapter 1: The Regulation Examination and the Licensing Path

1.1 The Regulation Examination: Facts, Booking and Study Plan 1.2 Learner's Permit Conditions and Supervision 1.3 Driving Test, Licence Classes, Renewal and Demerit Points

2 Chapter 2: Traffic Signs

2.1 Sign Shapes, Colours and Legal Force 2.2 Warning Signs in the Ninth Schedule 2.3 Regulatory Signs: Prohibitions and Mandatory Orders 2.4 Information Signs, Temporary Signs and Construction Zones

3 Chapter 3: Light Signals, Driver Signals and Police Directions

3.1 Traffic Light Signals 3.2 Driver Signals, the Horn and Police Directions

4 Chapter 4: Road Markings and Pedestrian Crossings

4.1 Road Markings and Lane Use 4.2 Pedestrian Crossings

5 Chapter 5: Road Position, Overtaking, Junctions and Roundabouts

5.1 Keeping Left, Being Overtaken and Overtaking 5.2 Junctions, Turning and Emerging 5.3 Roundabouts

6 Chapter 6: Speed Limits and Stopping Distances

6.1 Barbados Speed Limits 6.2 Following Distance and Stopping Distance

7 Chapter 7: Stopping, Parking and Lights

7.1 Stopping, Waiting and Parking Rules 7.2 Lighting-Up Times and Use of Lights

8 Chapter 8: Vehicle Condition, Loads and Occupant Safety

8.1 Vehicle Condition, Equipment, Loads and Towing 8.2 Seat Belts and Child Safety Seats

9 Chapter 9: Alcohol, Drugs, Distraction and Fitness to Drive

9.1 Alcohol, Drugs and the Breath-Test Law 9.2 Phones, Distractions, Fatigue and Fitness to Drive

10 Chapter 10: Sharing the Road

10.1 Pedestrians, Children and Processions 10.2 Cyclists and Motorcyclists 10.3 Animals, Animal-Drawn Vehicles and Slow Traffic 10.4 Emergency Vehicles, Buses and Public Service Vehicles

11 Chapter 11: Accidents, Insurance and Traffic Offences

11.1 Duties After an Accident 11.2 Insurance, Documents and Traffic Offences

12 Chapter 12: Defensive Driving and Emergencies

12.1 Defensive Driving and Hazard Perception 12.2 Rain, Night, Breakdowns and Emergencies

4.1 Road Markings and Lane Use

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

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).

Last updated: October 2026

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.