Driving in Italy part 9 – Basic Italian Road Signs — Stop & Yield

Before stepping on an Italian gas pedal it may be useful to know when to stop and yield. In addition to the universal stop sign — also used in Italy— is a simple, solid white line cutting across your lane. 

This white stripe indicates that you must stop and yield. Often the word STOP is painted on the pavement, but the white line alone is enough to signal a mandatory stop. The lack of one signals that you have the right of way. 

The upside down triangle is the official YIELD sign of Italy. You can also expect to see inverted triangles painted on the pavement in front of you. In the case of the photo above this individual is being informed by the sign that it will be required to yield in approximately 150 meters.

While I’ve got your eyes glued to the pavement, remember to never cross solid lines running parallel to your car. Italian driving school students are taught to envision solid lines as impenetrable walls. The reason is that many two way roads and streets lack center barriers. The barrier is the solid white line. So when driving on a two lane country road expect to find solid lines where no one is allowed to pass. Intermittent lines, dashes if you will, do allow you to cross over into the oncoming lane to pass a slower vehicle. The dashes must appear on your side of the solid line in order to pass, provided all is clear ahead. Yellow lines indicate a lane is reserved for public transit and taxis. One last word about pavements, occasionally, exit names will also be painted on the pavement, this is more common on highways than on regular streets.

Now we know the secret of why Italians are such formidable drivers. A number of driving parks for children dot the land. The one above is in the Cilento National Park south of Salerno. Another Parco Scuola is in Rome. Look for one near your location when bringing the kids to Italy, they are sure to get a kick out of it.