Q. Is there any Rhode Island law on the books that prohibits drivers from using highway exit on-ramps and off-ramps as a way to advance in traffic? During morning rush hour on Route 195 West, drivers are exiting at Broadway, then going straight through the traffic to reenter the highway. This creates additional traffic congestion on the off ramp and more merging traffic when they come back onto the highway, adding to rush hour delays and frustrating those of us who don’t try to get ahead using tactics like this. I’m sure this happens in other high traffic locations and that driving in a breakdown lane is prohibited — can this be considered a similar violation?

A. We could not find a law in the Rhode Island Criminal and Traffic Law Manual that specifically prohibits this type of movement. However, motorists may be violating other traffic laws by doing so.

Typically, there are pavement markings at the end of an off-ramp that indicate which movement is allowed in each lane (if there is more than one). For example, the left lane usually has a left-arrow pavement marking, while the right lane usually has a right arrow indicating that this is the proper movement to make from this lane.

In some cases there are also regulatory signs called “Mandatory Movement Lane Control” signs. These are the signs that have arrows on them indicating what movements are allowed from each lane. If the pavement markings or this type of sign are present and indicate a turning movement (left or right) at the end of an off-ramp, and the motorist proceeds straight through the intersection, then they are in violation of the traffic law 31-13-4 Obedience to Devices, which carries a fine of $75.

projocars@projo.com

Dana Alexander Nolfe, chief public affairs officer for the state Department of Transportation, has agreed to answer questions of general interest posed by Journal readers about state roads and other state transportation matters.

The DOT is responsible for the state’s transportation infrastructure, which includes highways, bridges, traffic signals and bikeways.

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Questions or complaints of a specific nature should be posed to the DOT directly and will not be answered in this column.