What is a shared center left-turn lane?

• A. A painted center lane for left-turns only; do not drive in it for through travel
• B. A lane for high-speed passing
• C. A parking lane
• D. A shoulder lane

Answer: (A)

A shared center left-turn lane is a painted lane in the middle of the road that both directions can use to make left turns. It’s not a lane for through travel or for passing. When you’re approaching an intersection and plan to turn left, you line up in this center lane before the turn, signal, and then complete the left turn from there into the adjacent street or driveway. If you’re not turning left, you shouldn’t be in this lane, so stay in the through lanes. This design helps keep through traffic moving smoothly by giving space for left-turning vehicles from both directions.