The center turn lane Only in the last 200 feet
A center lane with a solid outer and a broken inner yellow line on each side is a two-way left-turn lane. Use it only to prepare for and make a left turn or U-turn, or to merge into traffic after turning onto the road, for no more than 200 feet; where there is one, turn left from it.
CVC 21460.5(c) · CA Driver's Handbook, "Center Left Turn Lanes" · DMV DL 955 (more than 200 feet in it: critical error)How far can you drive in a center turn lane in California?
No more than 200 feet, and only to prepare for or make a left turn or U-turn, or to merge into traffic after turning onto the road (CVC 21460.5(c)).
Why this rule exists
Drivers from both directions use the same lane. The less time you spend in it, the less chance you meet someone head-on in it.
Step by step on the road
- Recognize it: a center lane with a solid yellow line outside and a dashed yellow line inside, on each side.
- Move in late: within the last 200 feet before your turn, not at the start of the block.
- Before you move in, look for cars coming toward you in the center lane, signal left, check your mirror and look over your left shoulder.
- Move completely into the center lane.
- Wait there with the wheels straight, yield to oncoming traffic, and turn when it is clear.
Common mistakes
- Using it as a passing lane or a regular traffic lane.
- Driving in it for most of the block.
- Turning left from the through lane where there is a center turn lane.
- Leaving the back of the car in the through lane.
On the DMV drive test
For a left turn, DL 955 wants you to enter the two-way center left-turn lane within 200 feet of the turn, and to check the blind spot over your shoulder before you merge into it. Driving further than 200 feet in it is a critical driving error, and so is making a turn from the wrong lane.
Based on the DMV’s Driving Test Criteria (DL 955) and its score sheet (DL 32). How the drive test works ›Questions people ask
Can you pass in a center turn lane?
No. The Handbook says it is not a regular traffic lane or passing lane. Use it only to turn left or make a U-turn.
Can you use the center turn lane to merge after turning onto a road?
Yes, for no more than 200 feet, while you get ready to merge into the lanes of traffic (CVC 21460.5(c)).
What do the lines of a center turn lane look like?
Two yellow lines on each side: a solid line on the outside and a dashed line on the inside (CVC 21460.5).
Test yourself
Kees' three questions on this rule, the “Did you know?” facts and his tip come with the drive, in Voorrah! Pro.
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