The primary advantage of roads with markings is that they guide traffic. Rarely traveled country roads are often devoid of center-line markings, which means cars more easily drift into the opposite lane of oncoming traffic. White-and-yellow-painted lines on roads separate the lanes of traffic and signify whether drivers are allowed to pass or turn in that lane.
Stop signs, yield signs and sharp-turn signs enforce safety for drivers. Road markings known as rumble strips serve as noise generators when the driver runs off a road; they can also attempt to wake a sleeping driver when installed in the shoulders of a road.
Another advantage of road markings is that they increase efficiency and provide order. Handicapped spots are marked to make parking easier for the disabled. School zones and fire zones may be marked with striped lines to make access easier for school buses, fire trucks and emergency vehicles.
Other pavement markings have meanings specific to a certain municipality or organization. Pavement markings at an industrial facility may declare designated loading or unloading areas, while painted numbers can specify individual parking spots at a large residence area.
