What to Do When You See a No Passing Sign
No Passing signs are there to inform drivers of restricted zones where it is not legal to pass another car due to safety hazards.
Written by Mary Alice Morris
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
State traffic departments put No Passing Zone signs in place to let drivers know that it’s not safe to pass another vehicle. Failure to comply with these signs can result in disastrous consequences, including a traffic ticket, higher
car insurance
rates, or even a collision.If you’ve ever been stuck behind a really slow driver, then you know how frustrating it can be. You may even want to pass the slow car in front of you, so you can get back up to speed. But before you do, make sure you understand the traffic laws around safely passing another vehicle—especially when it comes to No Passing Zone signs.
To better understand no-passing zones and the signs that indicate them, check out this guide all about what the sign means, where to find them, and the penalties for violating a No Passing Zone sign.
"I’m earning
awesome rewards
every week, just for driving safe!”
Patricia W.
Reviewed on 5/28/2023
What does a No Passing Zone sign mean?
A No Passing Zone sign serves as an attention-grabbing indicator that you need to stay in your lane, even if the driver ahead of you is going annoyingly slow.
Road markings—those white or yellow lines that divide the road into lanes—also indicate when it is and isn’t legal to pass a car. If the road markings form a double-solid line, that means nobody can pass at all, no matter the lane or the direction in which they’re driving.
If there’s a dotted line on your side of the lane division and a solid line on the other side, that means you may pass when there’s a safe opportunity to do so, but drivers on the other side may not. If there’s a solid line on your side of the lane division and a dotted line on the other side, you may not legally pass a vehicle.
Finally, if there’s just one dotted line between two lanes, drivers in either lane may legally pass when there’s a safe opportunity.
However, some municipalities, counties, or states might also incorporate a sign to indicate when you can or cannot pass. These signs might say:
- No Passing Zone: This yellow, pendant-shaped sign is usually placed on the left side of the road and indicates the beginning of a stretch in which it’s not safe for traffic going in your direction to pass other vehicles. This could be due to intersections, hills, or driveway entrances.
- Do Not Pass: This white, rectangular sign sometimes accompanies a No Passing Zone sign. It is placed on the right-hand side of the road as a warning that it is neither safe nor legal to pass.
- Pass With Care: This sign is also rectangular and white and will be found on the right-hand side of the road. It indicates that although passing is legal, there may be potential hazards or oncoming traffic.
Make safe driving pay
Get rewarded for safe driving. Earn points and unlock benefits. Totally free.
Start earning now
What does a No Passing Zone sign look like?
The No Passing Zone sign has a pennant (or sideways triangle) shape, and it has a reflective yellow background with bold black lettering. It’s placed on the left-hand side of the road.
The Do Not Pass sign has an upright rectangle shape. It has bold black lettering over a reflective white background and can be found on the right-hand side of the road. The Pass With Care Sign looks quite similar.
Where can you find a No Passing Zone sign?
It’s important to remember that not all no-passing zones are indicated by a sign. You must pay attention to the markings on the road as well as any traffic signs to keep aware of hazards and restrictions while driving.
The most likely place you’ll run into a No Passing Zone sign would be in an area with hills or curves, which block your view of oncoming traffic, or an area with lots of intersections or driveways, where other vehicles may be entering the road.
You may also see a No Passing Zone sign on a three-lane highway with traffic going in two directions. In this situation, there will often be a No Passing Zone sign for traffic in the single lane going in one direction, but drivers in the two lanes going the other direction will be allowed to pass if the conditions are safe. These highways will often alternate the direction of the third lane in order to give drivers going in both directions the opportunity to safely pass.
Penalties if you break the law
Every state has its own traffic safety laws, and additional traffic restrictions may be enacted by individual cities and municipalities. Still, no matter where you’re driving, it is always illegal to attempt to pass a car in a no-passing zone, whether it’s marked by road markings, signs, or both.
Passing in a no-passing zone is typically considered an infraction rather than a criminal violation. Infractions are the lowest-level offenses in the justice system, below misdemeanor violations.
A few examples of state traffic code penalties for failure to obey a no-passing zone include:
- California:$238 fine and one point added to your driving record
- New York: Up to $150 fine on the first offense, $300 for the second offense, and $450 for the third offense
- Texas:$285 fine
Traffic tickets or
citations
usually go through a separate court system in most jurisdictions, in order to keep traffic infractions separate from more serious criminal cases. There is typically no jury or bench trial for traffic violations, and you can often avoid incarceration or hefty fines. However, keep in mind that each state sets its own traffic laws, and in some states, certain traffic violations may be processed as misdemeanors or even felony crimes. Before driving, you should be aware of your state’s traffic codes and penalties.
Save on car insurance with Jerry
It’s a good idea to take the time to learn about traffic laws and traffic signs to make sure you’re always driving safely when you get behind the wheel. Another part of being a safe and responsible driver is carrying the right car insurance at all times.
You can find a great policy at a great price with the car insurance comparison app
Jerry
. It only takes about 45 seconds to get started. Once you download the app and answer a few questions, Jerry will quickly give you a list of competitive quotes from some of the nation’s top car insurance providers. When you decide on which one to buy, Jerry will take care of the paperwork to start switching your car insurance over. They’ll even help cancel your old policy! Best of all, the average Jerry user saves $887 a year on car insurance.
“My speeding ticket raised my insurance to $310/month.Jerrygot me full comprehensive coverage on two vehicles for $144/month through Progressive. I definitely recommend giving them a try.” —Brandon D.
Are you overpaying for car insurance?
Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.
4.7You might also be interested
