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    What is the reason for the hatched are along the centre of the road?

    DVSA-style practice question · Road and Traffic Signs

    Illustration for the theory test question: What is the reason for the hatched are along the centre of the road?

    The answer options

    • Overtaking area for motorcyclists
    • Separates traffic in opposite directionsCorrect
    • Separates sides of a dual carriageway
    • Temporary marking to warn of roadworks

    Why that is the answer

    Hatched areas painted along the centre of the road are used to separate traffic travelling in opposite directions and protect vehicles turning right. According to the Highway Code, they also help narrow the road visually to slow traffic down. Dual carriageways are separated by a central reservation rather than paint markings alone, and these hatched areas are permanent features, not temporary roadworks warnings or exclusive overtaking lanes for motorcyclists.

    How this comes up in the real test

    Questions from road and traffic signs appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.

    The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.

    More road and traffic signs questions