(a) Upon all highways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the highway except as follows:
(1) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing such movement;
(2) When an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway; provided, any person so doing shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the highway within such distance as to constitute an immediate hazard;
(3) Upon a highway divided into three marked lanes for traffic under the rules applicable thereon; or
(4) Upon a highway designated and signposted for one-way traffic.
(a1) Self-propelled grain combines or other self-propelled farm equipment shall be operated to the right of the centerline except as provided in G.S. 20-116(j)(4).
(b) Upon all highways any vehicle proceeding at less than the legal maximum speed limit shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for thru traffic, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the highway, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn.
(c) Upon any highway having four or more lanes for moving traffic and providing for two-way movement of traffic, no vehicle shall be driven to the left of the centerline of the highway, except when authorized by official traffic-control devices designating certain lanes to the left side of the center of the highway for use by traffic not otherwise permitted to use such lanes or except as permitted under subsection (a)(2) hereof.
(d) Whenever any street has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, the following rules in addition to all others consistent herewith shall apply.
(1) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.
(2) Upon a street which is divided into three or more lanes and provides for the two-way movement of traffic, a vehicle shall not be driven in the center lane except when overtaking and passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction when such center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance, or in the preparation for making a left turn or where such center lane is at the time allocated exclusively to traffic moving in the same direction that the vehicle is proceeding and such allocation is designated by official traffic-control device.
(3) Official traffic-control devices may be erected directing specified traffic to use a designated lane or designating those lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction regardless of the center of the street and drivers of vehicles shall obey the direction of every such device.
(4) Official traffic-control devices may be installed prohibiting the changing of lanes on sections of streets, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of every such device.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, when appropriate signs have been posted, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle over and upon the inside lane, next to the median of any dual-lane highway at a speed less than the posted speed limit when the operation of said motor vehicle over and upon said inside lane shall impede the steady flow of traffic except when preparing for a left turn. "Appropriate signs" as used herein shall be construed as including "Slower Traffic Keep Right" or designations of similar import.
(f) Except when entering or exiting the highway or avoiding a hazard or to pass, a motor vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more shall not operate in the left most lane of a controlled-access highway with six or more lanes. (1937, c. 407, s. 108; 1965, c. 678, s. 2; 1973, c. 1330, s. 3; 1975, c. 593; 1985, c. 764, s. 25; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 852, s. 17; 2001-487, s. 11; 2015-263, s. 6(b); 2025-47, s. 17(a).)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
79
cases (
5 in the last 5 years), 1945–2026 · leading case:
State v. Osterhoudt, 731 S.E.2d 454 (N.C. Ct. App. 2012).
State v. Osterhoudt, 731 S.E.2d 454 (N.C. Ct. App. 2012).
· cites it 23× “]” Specifically, the State contends that the superior court’s conclusion is not supported by law or evidence and that defendant’s act of driving over the “centerpoint” of the road violates N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 20-146 and 20-153. We agree that defendant violated N.”
McDevitt v. Stacy, 559 S.E.2d 201 (N.C. Ct. App. 2002).
· cites it 12× “Jury Instructions Plaintiff contends that the trial court committed reversible error by instructing the jury that plaintiff's violation of G.”
Sobczak v. Vorholt, 640 S.E.2d 805 (N.C. Ct. App. 2007).
· cites it 14× “On appeal, Plaintiff challenges the trial court’s jury instructions in two respects: first, he argues that the court erred in refusing to instruct that Defendant violated N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146 (d) by failing to keep his vehicle in his lane of travel, and that such violation…”
State v. Bullock, 805 S.E.2d 671 (N.C. 2017).
· cites it 3× “§ 20-152 ; and weaving over the white line marking the edge of the road, which is forbidden by N.C.G.S. § 20-146(d)(1). These facts allowed Officer McDonough to pull defendant over based on reasonable suspicion of those violations.”
State v. Hudson, 696 S.E.2d 577 (N.C. Ct. App. 2010).
· cites it 6× “2d 615, 619-20 (2005) (holding the stop of defendant’s vehicle for a traffic infraction was constitutional because the officer had “observed defendant’s vehicle twice cross the center line of the highway, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146 (a)”). In the instant case, the…”
State v. Baublitz, Jr., 616 S.E.2d 615 (N.C. Ct. App. 2005).
· cites it 4× “In the present case, Investigator Houston stopped defendant’s vehicle when Investigator Houston observed defendant’s vehicle twice cross the center line of the highway, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146 (a). Defendant’s traffic violation was readily observable, and…”
State v. Jones, 538 S.E.2d 917 (N.C. 2000).
· cites it 3× “§ 20-141 (1999); N.C.G.S. § 20-146 (1999), respectively. Moreover, it is clear from the evidence presented at trial that defendant’s actions proximately caused serious injury to Billmeyer, Iodice, and Warren.”
State v. Sutton, 817 S.E.2d 211 (N.C. Ct. App. 2018).
· cites it 5× “Where a vehicle actually crosses over the double yellow lines in the center of a road, even once, and even without endangering any other drivers, the driver has committed a traffic violation of N.”
Smith v. Pass, 382 S.E.2d 781 (N.C. Ct. App. 1989).
· cites it 4× “20-161(a) and (b) and G.S. 20-146 and she presented sufficient evidence at trial to create a reasonable inference of the elements of these claims.”
Nationwide Mut. Ins. v. Chantos, 258 S.E.2d 334 (N.C. 1979).
· cites it 2× “*337 With respect to its motion for directed verdict, plaintiff argues that defendant's stipulation that he drove across the median and collided with McDonald head on establishes that defendant was negligent per se. Plaintiff further argues that defendant's testimony that he was…”
State v. Glover, 575 S.E.2d 835 (N.C. Ct. App. 2003).
· cites it 2× “Although various civil cases have addressed the issue of sudden emergencies in relation to the reasonableness of a defendant’s actions, defendant has failed to cite a single criminal case establishing such an exception specifically to G.”
State v. Jones, 813 S.E.2d 668 (N.C. Ct. App. 2018).
· cites it 4× “2d 454 , 462 (2012) ("Trooper Monroe's testimony that he initiated the stop of defendant after observing defendant drive over the double yellow line is sufficient to establish a violation of: (1) N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146 (d)(3-4) ...; N.”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146(A) — 1 case
State v. Sutton, 817 S.E.2d 211 (N.C. Ct. App. 2018).
“Where a vehicle actually crosses over the double yellow lines in the center of a road, even once, and even without endangering any other drivers, the driver has committed a traffic violation of N.”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146(a) — 3 cases
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146(d) — 1 case
Sobczak v. Vorholt, 640 S.E.2d 805 (N.C. Ct. App. 2007).
“On appeal, Plaintiff challenges the trial court’s jury instructions in two respects: first, he argues that the court erred in refusing to instruct that Defendant violated N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146 (d) by failing to keep his vehicle in his lane of travel, and that such violation…”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146(d)(1) — 6 cases
State v. Bullock, 805 S.E.2d 671 (N.C. 2017).
“§ 20-152 ; and weaving over the white line marking the edge of the road, which is forbidden by N.C.G.S. § 20-146(d)(1). These facts allowed Officer McDonough to pull defendant over based on reasonable suspicion of those violations.”
State v. Osterhoudt, 731 S.E.2d 454 (N.C. Ct. App. 2012).
“]” Specifically, the State contends that the superior court’s conclusion is not supported by law or evidence and that defendant’s act of driving over the “centerpoint” of the road violates N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 20-146 and 20-153. We agree that defendant violated N.”
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