White diagonal stripes and chevrons on the road
Updated •5 min read
White diagonal stripes or chevrons separate lanes or protect traffic turning right (rule 130). Broken border: enter only if necessary and safe. Solid border with chevrons: not except in an emergency. There is no white diamond marking in the Highway Code.
This page is the short answer to the questions learners type in. For the other markings, see our road markings guide. Everything below comes from the Highway Code on gov.uk, read on 27 October 2026.
What the Highway Code says (rule 130)
Rule 130 covers "areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road". Its text (gov.uk: rules 103 to 158):
These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right. If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so. If the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.
The Highway Code's road markings page shows the marking in its "Along the carriageway" section and points to rule 130 for what it means.
Solid or broken border: the difference
| Border | What rule 130 says |
|---|---|
| Broken white line | You should not enter unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe. |
| Solid white lines, with chevrons | You MUST NOT enter except in an emergency. |
"Should not" is advice with an exception for safe, necessary entry. "MUST NOT" is a legal requirement with one exception, an emergency. Read the border before you read the stripes.
What do the white diagonal stripe markings in the middle of the road mean?
They separate traffic lanes or protect traffic turning right (rule 130). The stripes mark space that is not a lane to drive in. Whether you may enter depends on the border, as in the table above.
White diagonal stripes
The same answer applies: this is the marking rule 130 describes. A broken border means "only if necessary and safe". Solid borders with chevrons mean "not except in an emergency".
Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons (painted on the road)
This is rule 130's own wording, so the answer is rule 130's: they separate traffic lanes or protect traffic turning right. Chevrons painted on the road are not the black and white chevron sign at a sharp bend, which our sharp deviation of route guide explains.
Diagonal stripes on the road
Rule 130 is the Highway Code's rule for diagonal stripes on the carriageway. Stripes with a broken border can be entered when necessary and safe. If the border is solid and the area has chevrons, you must not enter except in an emergency. Rule 130 does not say what to do if an area has stripes but no chevrons and a solid border, so for that case follow what you can see and the road signs.
A white diamond marking on the roadway indicates...
The Highway Code has no white diamond road marking. We read its road markings section and rules 127 to 131 on 27 October 2026, and none describes one. If your question says "a white diamond marking on the roadway indicates", the answer is that the Highway Code has no such marking. If you meant diagonal stripes, the answer is rule 130 above.
How the theory test asks it
The car theory test is 50 multiple-choice questions: a question and several possible answers appear on screen and you select the right answer (gov.uk: multiple-choice questions). Mix-ups to watch for, all taken from rule 130's wording:
- Choosing the lane-use answer. The stripes are not a lane. They separate lanes or protect traffic turning right.
- Ignoring the border. The same stripes need different answers for a broken and a solid border.
- Treating "should not" and "MUST NOT" as the same. Only the solid border with chevrons is a "MUST NOT".
- Forgetting the emergency exception. Solid borders do not mean never, they mean never except in an emergency.
Where to go next
- Read rule 130 on our site.
- Compare it with double white lines and yellow box junctions in the road markings guide.
- See how junction markings fit together in the junctions guide.
- Test yourself with the free practice questions.
theorytest.ai is independent and is not affiliated with the DVSA.
Frequently asked questions
What do the white diagonal stripe markings in the middle of the road mean?
They separate traffic lanes or protect traffic turning right. With a broken white border, enter only if necessary and safe. With chevrons and solid borders, do not enter except in an emergency.
Can you drive over white diagonal stripes?
Only if the border is broken and it is necessary and you can see it is safe. If the area has chevrons and solid white borders, you must not enter it except in an emergency.
What is the difference between a solid and a broken boundary line on hatch markings?
Broken: you should not enter unless it is necessary and safe. Solid, with chevrons: you MUST NOT enter except in an emergency (rule 130).
What does a white diamond marking on the roadway indicate?
The Highway Code has no white diamond road marking. If you meant diagonal stripes, the answer is rule 130: they separate traffic lanes or protect traffic turning right.