SG Singapore Driver
Knowledge base Signs 8 min read

Road markings, parking lines, and RAG arrows

OneMotoring’s meanings for stop lines, give-way lines, yellow and white parking lines, zigzag pedestrian-crossing markings, bus-lane markings, and Red-Amber-Green arrows, plus the separate offence for leaving a vehicle likely to cause danger or obstruction.

road-markings parking zigzag RAG-arrows no-parking yellow-lines

Primary source: https://onemotoring.lta.gov.sg/content/onemotoring/home/driving/road_safety_and_vehicle_rules/driving-rules.html

OneMotoring says you should familiarise yourself with road markings to avoid illegal parking offences (OneMotoring, Driving Rules and Information).

Captions below are from that live page.

Lines that control movement

Marking Meaning OneMotoring states
Single white stop line Stop to check the traffic situation ahead before moving off
Parallel broken white lines Slow down and stop to give way to traffic on a major road
Broken white line on a two-way road Vehicles should keep to the left of this line
Continuous white line Vehicles should keep to the left of this line. No parking on either side of the road at all times. Violation of this parking rule attracts a fine
Unbroken double white lines Vehicles are not allowed to cross these lines. No parking on either side of the road at all times. Violation of the parking rule attracts a fine

(OneMotoring, Driving Rules and Information)

The Highway Code states: never cross double white lines; making a U-turn or a right turn is not allowed on a road where such lines are painted; and you may not overtake at continuous double white lines unless you keep entirely to the left of those lines (SSO, Highway Code rr 52–53).

Yellow parking lines and zigzags

Marking Meaning OneMotoring states
Unbroken yellow line No parking on this side of the road from 7 am to 7 pm, except on Sundays and public holidays. Violation attracts a fine
Unbroken double yellow lines No parking on this side of the road at all times, except for immediate pick-up and drop-off only. Violation attracts a fine
White zigzag line (zebra crossing ahead) No parking, waiting or stopping at all on the road. Violation attracts demerit points and a fine
Single yellow zigzag line No parking on this side of the road at all times, except for immediate pick-up and drop-off. Violation attracts demerit points and a fine
Double yellow zigzag lines No stopping on this side of the road at all times. Violation attracts demerit points and a fine

(OneMotoring, Driving Rules and Information)

The Road Traffic Rules define a Demerit Points No Parking Zone as a part of a road marked by a single yellow zig-zag line, including the adjacent public footpath, and prohibit parking in it. They define a Demerit Points No Stopping Zone as a part marked by double yellow zig-zag lines, also including the adjacent public footpath, and prohibit stopping in it (Road Traffic Rules, rr. 1A and 24A–24B). The current Driver Improvement Points System Schedule assigns 3 demerit points to each offence. SPF’s current Basic Theory handbook lists a composition fine of $150 for a light vehicle and $200 for a heavy vehicle for each (Road Traffic (Driver Improvement Points System) Rules, Schedule; SPF, Basic Theory of Driving). The Traffic Signs Rules describe double yellow zig-zag lines as prohibiting stopping at all times, except when a vehicle is prevented from proceeding by traffic conditions (Road Traffic (Traffic Signs) Rules, Schedule, Diagram 152(d)).

The Schedule also specifies red transverse lines at least 1,000 mm wide, laid perpendicular to the road edge. They mark a stretch where parking is prohibited from the point where the markings begin to where they end (Road Traffic (Traffic Signs) Rules, Schedule, Diagram 152(e)).

Bus-lane markings

Part-day bus lane: no driving or parking in the bus lane from 7.30 am to 9.30 am and from 5 pm to 8 pm, except on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Full-day bus lane: no driving or parking from 7.30 am to 11 pm, except on Sundays and public holidays. Bus-only lane: no driving or parking at all days and all times. Each of those violations “attracts a fine” on the OneMotoring caption (OneMotoring, Driving Rules and Information).

Hours, exceptions, and the Bus Priority Box are in bus-lanes-and-bus-priority-box.

Places you must not park (Highway Code)

The Highway Code defines park as bringing a motor vehicle to a stationary position and causing it to wait for any purpose, and lists places not to park or let a vehicle stand, including a bend, brow of a hill or bridge; footway or cycle track; near traffic lights or pedestrian crossings; on a main or fast road; opposite another stationary vehicle or obstruction; abreast of another vehicle; opposite a continuous white line, double white lines, or a sign prohibiting parking; near a roadside with a single yellow line (from 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.) or double yellow lines; within 6 metres of an intersection or junction; 9 metres on either side of a bus stop; 3 metres on either side of a fire hydrant; where it will obscure a traffic sign or obstruct an entrance; facing oncoming traffic; on a slip road or filter lane; on a flyover, underpass, or ramps; on a grass verge; in any bus lane; or at any designated taxi stop (SSO, Highway Code r 91).

The official handbook repeats that list with handbook wording, including no waiting in “No Waiting” and “No Stopping” zones, and notes that parking means waiting other than for the immediate picking up or letting down of passengers (SPF, Basic Theory of Driving).

Dangerous or obstructive stationary vehicles

Separately from the listed no-parking places, section 122 of the Road Traffic Act makes it an offence for a person in charge of a vehicle to cause or permit the vehicle or its trailer to remain at rest on a road in a position, condition or circumstances likely to cause danger, obstruction or undue inconvenience to other road users or traffic. On conviction, the maximum penalty is a $2,000 fine, imprisonment for 3 months, or both; for a second or later conviction it is a $5,000 fine, imprisonment for 6 months, or both. The section is subject to the exception in section 84(4) (Singapore Statutes Online, Road Traffic Act 1961, ss. 84(4) and 122).

Red-Amber-Green (RAG) arrows

Red-Amber-Green arrows are used to control right-turning movements at signalised traffic junctions. Motorists who want to turn right must stop behind the STOP line and wait for the green arrow to turn on before they can proceed (OneMotoring, Driving Rules and Information).

LTA describes two presentations: horizontal RAG signal aspects on an overhead pole (under the standard 3-colour aspect), and vertical RAG signal aspects on a ground pole (beside the standard 3-colour aspect). LTA will be installing more RAG arrows at traffic junctions in the coming years. Motorists are expected to comply with the traffic light signals (OneMotoring, Driving Rules and Information).

Coverage debt

  • The current SPF handbook gives 3 demerit points and composition fines of $150 for light vehicles and $200 for heavy vehicles for parking in a single-yellow-zig-zag Demerit Points No Parking Zone and stopping in a double-yellow-zig-zag Demerit Points No Stopping Zone. OneMotoring does not state exact amounts for the other parking-line captions; do not assume those offences carry the same points or fines. See penalties-for-traffic-offences for the current Traffic Police grouping.
  • Yellow-box markings are in yellow-box-junctions.

Sources