New York Double Yellow Line Rules

NY DMV guidance: passing, urban lanes, and signage

New York follows the familiar rule: double solid yellow means no passing. Limited crossing may be lawful when the movement isn't a pass (e.g., a lawful left turn or to avoid an obstruction) and no sign prohibits it. In dense NYC corridors, additional controls—bike lanes, channelization islands, turn bans, and signal timing—often determine what you can actually do at the moment.

Left-turn across double yellow into a business driveway

If no NO LEFT TURN sign is posted and sight distance is adequate, a single clean crossover into a driveway or private road can be lawful. Do not straddle the centerline while waiting; keep wheels straight and yield to oncoming traffic.

Yield to pedestrians and cyclists near crosswalks

In NYC, expect mid-block crosswalks and protected bike lanes. Yield to pedestrians and do not block the bike lane. When a bike lane lies between your lane and the driveway, look for designated mixing/turn zones or a legal opening.

Dense traffic timing strategies

Use gaps created by signals upstream. Avoid forcing oncoming traffic to brake. When multiple lanes oppose you, it's safer to continue to a protected turn pocket or signalized intersection.

NYC ticket hotspots for centerline errors

Typical hotspots include commercial corridors with turn bans, areas near schools, and approaches to bridges/tunnels where U-turns and mid-block left turns are restricted.

U-turn restrictions and one-way street edge cases

A U-turn across double yellow is context-dependent. Even where centerlines allow it, posted NO U-TURN controls, poor visibility at hills/curves, school zones, and heavy pedestrian areas can make the maneuver unlawful. On one-way streets, U-turns are frequently banned or geometrically unsafe.