Signs, signals and pavement markings
Looking only at the pavement, how can you recognize a carpool (HOV) lane?
- A diamond symbol and the words Carpool Lane are painted on it. Correct answer
- It is painted bright green so that it stands out.
- It has a row of solid white triangles across the lane.
Why
The HOV lane has a pavement marking of its own: a diamond symbol along with the words Carpool Lane. Posted signs, at the ramp or beside the road, give the minimum number of people you need and the hours when the HOV rules apply. Bright green paint shows up on some bicycle lanes to make them stand out, and a row of solid white triangles is a yield line, which shows approaching vehicles where to yield or stop. A carpool lane can be separated from regular lanes by double solid white lines, so get in and out only at the designated entrances and exits.
Where this comes from
California Driver's Handbook, June 2025 edition. The correct answer is A diamond symbol and the words Carpool Lane are painted on it.
- Section 6. Navigating the Roads › Types of Lanes › Carpool/High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes, page 16
- Section 6. Navigating the Roads › Types of Lanes › Bicycle Lanes, page 17
- Section 6. Navigating the Roads › Traffic Lanes › Lane Markings › Yield Line, page 14
- Section 6. Navigating the Roads › Traffic Lanes › Lane Markings › Double Solid White Lines, page 14
The rule behind this one
California road signs, signals and pavement markings goes through the whole topic, with the page of the California Driver's Handbook behind every rule.
More on signs, signals and pavement markings
- In the middle of a two-way street, a lane is bordered on each side by a broken line on the inside and a solid line on the outside. What may you use it for?
- A green arrow lets you make a protected turn. What makes the turn protected?
- A pedestrian signal at a crosswalk shows a number that keeps going down. What do the numbers mean?
- An intersection has crisscross and diagonal crosswalks that let pedestrians cross in any direction at the same time. When may a pedestrian cross diagonally?