A broken yellow line down the center of a road indicates that:
- A construction zone is ahead.
- Passing is not permitted from either direction.
- Passing is permitted from either direction. ✓
Answer: C. Passing is permitted from either direction.
A broken yellow line down the center means passing is permitted from either direction, as long as you only pass when it is safe.
Why this is the answer
The handbook explains that lane markings tell you which part of the road to use. It says a broken yellow line means you may pass if the broken line is next to your driving lane, and adds the condition that you should only pass when it is safe. Since a broken yellow center line sits next to the lane in each direction on a two-way road, drivers going either way may cross it to pass. Solid yellow lines are the ones that restrict passing, so the broken line is the permissive marking.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. A construction zone is ahead. — The handbook describes a broken yellow line as a lane marking about passing, and nothing in the passages ties it to a construction zone.
- B. Passing is not permitted from either direction. — That describes solid yellow lines, which the handbook says you must not pass over; a broken line is the opposite case, where passing is allowed.
Remember it
Broken means you may cross to pass when it is safe; solid means stay in your lane.
Official handbook: California Driver Handbook (DL 600), Section 6: Navigating the Roads, p. 13