A system and method are provided for a virtual rumble strip that uses a 3-dimensional audio alert (3-DAA) signal to warn a user operating a vehicle that the vehicle has deviated from a predetermined path. The virtual rumble strip may include a sensor that detects location data for the vehicle, and an alerting mechanism that receives the location data from the sensor. The alerting mechanism may include an audio processing unit that uses the location data and a Head-Related Transfer Function to create the 3-DAA signal. A speaker may then play the 3-DAA signal, which the user may interpret as originating from the direction of the deviation. The user may then respond to the 3-DAA signal by correcting the motion of the vehicle.