Road sign glossary with real images

Road sign flashcards

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Arrow curving right around an obstruction

Remain to the right of the sign or the marked obstruction

What does a KEEP RIGHT sign direct a driver to do?

KEEP RIGHT directs traffic to stay on the right side of the sign or obstruction. The instruction is about passing the object safely, not about reserving the lane for passing or banning the right side. It also does not replace a turn arrow or require an immediate turn. Watch the roadway geometry and keep the vehicle on the indicated side as you go around the divider. A sudden move left could place the vehicle in conflict with opposing traffic.

Bicycle symbol crossed by a red circle and slash

Bicycles are not allowed here

What does the red slash over the bicycle symbol on this Arkansas sign mean?

Some Arkansas regulation signs place a red circle with a red slash over a symbol. The slash over the bicycle symbol bars bicycles from that place. It does not ask riders to yield, and it does not mark the start of a bicycle lane, which would welcome riders instead of banning them. Sharing the lane is also the opposite of a ban. Read any symbol under a red slash as a ban on whatever the symbol shows.

Black ONE WAY sign with arrow

Travel only as indicated on the posted street

What traffic pattern does a ONE WAY sign identify?

A ONE WAY sign tells drivers that travel on the posted street follows the indicated direction. It does not permit opposing movement, create a bus-only lane, or require an immediate turnaround. A driver entering such a street must align with the displayed direction and remain alert for the roadway’s lane arrangement. Choosing the two-direction option would create a head-on conflict with traffic using the designated flow. Read the arrow before moving into the street.

Blue hospital sign with a white H

Directions to service facilities

What do blue backgrounds on Colorado service signs provide?

Blue backgrounds identify signs that provide directions to service facilities. They help drivers locate services, while warning signs alert drivers to hazards, guide signs provide destination and mileage information, and regulatory signs state enforceable rules. The color is a useful first clue, but read the wording or symbol before changing lanes or turning. Do not treat a blue service sign as permission to ignore another traffic control. Follow the roadway signs that govern the maneuver and use the service information to plan the stop safely.

Blue service sign reading GAS, FOOD, LODGING

Road services and amenities at an upcoming exit

The pictured blue sign lists GAS, FOOD, and LODGING. What kind of information does this sign give?

A blue sign listing gas, food, and lodging gives road services and amenity information for an upcoming exit. Distances to towns ride on green guidance signs, so that reading borrows the job of another color. Recreation and park sites belong to brown signs, which point toward leisure stops rather than fuel and beds. A temporary condition warning comes on orange, the construction family color. Use color as the shortcut: blue serves the stop ahead, green guides the route, and orange warns of work. Plan the exit before reaching it.

End school zone sign

The reduced-speed school zone ends here

What does an End School Zone sign mark?

School zones release as clearly as they bind: the End School Zone sign marks the end of the reduced-speed zone, and normal limits resume past it. Begin readings confuse it with the zone's start, child-stop readings invent a halt the sign never orders, and further-drop readings invert the release. The matching Begin sign, flashing lights, and posted times activate the twenty-mile school limit; the End sign stands it down. Resume lawful speed only after passing the marker.

Fluorescent yellow-green school crossing sign above a downward diagonal arrow plaque

A crosswalk or crossing area

What does a warning sign with a downward arrow below a school or pedestrian symbol indicate?

The manual explains that a downward arrow beneath a school or pedestrian sign identifies a crosswalk or crossing area. It does not establish a parking restriction, railroad track, or bus-only lane. Warning signs call for reduced speed because a hazard or crossing may be present. The arrow is the practical cue that the crossing is at or immediately below the sign location. Scan both sides of the road and be ready to yield to people crossing.

Green and white RESERVED PARKING sign with a wheelchair symbol

A vehicle with disability plates or a placard

Who may park in a space marked with this sign?

The Alaska sign chart says this space is reserved for persons with disability plates or a placard. Without one of those, the space is not available to you, no matter how short the stop. Flashing hazard lights do not create permission to park there, and having an older passenger does not qualify a vehicle either, because the reservation is tied to the plates or placard. When you see this sign at a parking space and your vehicle does not display the plates or placard, choose another space.

Green guide sign reading EXIT 25

A guidance sign for highway entrances, exits, and destinations

The pictured green sign reads EXIT 25. What kind of sign is this?

This green sign provides highway-exit guidance. Traffic guidance signs give information about the type of road, upcoming highway entrances and exits, and distances to destinations. Brown signs indicate recreational and cultural-interest sites. The cited passage reads: "Traffic guidance signs provide drivers with information about the type of road they are traveling on, upcoming highway entrances and exits, and distances to various destinations." This green exit sign provides guidance rather than setting a speed limit or movement restriction.

Green guide sign showing distances to Fairview and Franklin

Directional and mileage information to specific destinations

What information do Colorado guide signs provide?

Guide signs provide directional and mileage information to specific destinations. They help a driver follow a route, identify where a road leads, or estimate distance. Warning signs address hazards such as curves or merging traffic, regulatory signs state laws, and blue service signs point toward facilities. Use the guide sign to confirm route direction and destination information, while continuing to obey any separate speed, lane, or traffic control signs along the roadway.

Highway mile marker sign

They locate crashes, breakdowns, and emergencies

What are Texas mileposts for?

Small green markers solve big location problems. Texas says mileposts identify the locations of crashes, breakdowns, and other emergencies. Speed traps, car counts, and clocks are not their job. The cue is the little number plate: read it to dispatchers so help finds you on a long empty highway. Memorize the nearest milepost number whenever you stop on an interstate shoulder. It anchors every emergency call you might need to make.

Left-turn arrow crossed by red slash

The pictured left-turn movement is prohibited

A red slash over a left-turn arrow means what?

A red circle and diagonal slash identify the movement shown by the arrow as prohibited. With a left-turn arrow, the restriction applies to making that left turn at the posted location. It does not require left turns, automatically ban U-turns, or change a one-way roadway into a two-way street. The driver should follow the available route and wait for a legal turning point. The visual cue is the arrow itself, since the pictured direction tells you which movement the sign controls.

Multiple tracks sign below crossbuck

The number of tracks

What does the sign below a crossbuck show?

Multi-track crossings label themselves: a sign below the crossbuck shows the number of tracks where more than one exists. Speed, names, and gate weights appear nowhere on the assembly. The count matters because a passing train can hide a second train coming on the next track, which is why drivers must check every track before crossing. Crossbuck means yield to trains; the number plate tells how many yields to verify.

Orange DETOUR sign with an arrow pointing right

All traffic detours to the right at the sign

What does this orange sign tell drivers who reach it?

In the Alaska sign chart, this orange sign means all traffic detours to the right in front of the sign. Orange marks construction and maintenance signs, which show work in the road and temporary conditions, so adjust your speed and prepare for special conditions. The detour applies to every vehicle, not just trucks; the chart has a separate regulatory sign telling trucks to use the right lane. A lane ending has its own warning sign telling you to merge, and rest areas appear on white on blue service signs.

Orange diamond sign warning of road work ahead

Until you see a posted speed limit sign

You pass this sign and then signs showing a reduced speed. How long should you keep driving at the reduced speed?

Work zone signs, like this ROAD WORK AHEAD warning, tell you that people are working on or near the highway. When you see them and any signs showing a reduced speed, Arkansas says to begin slowing down, then keep the reduced speed until you see a posted speed limit sign. Seeing no workers or passing the last cone does not end the reduced speed, because the guide ties the end to the posted sign. Interstate work zones in Arkansas also use speed enforcement cameras.

Orange diamond sign with a flagger symbol

Stop for a flagger directing traffic ahead

What should you prepare to do when you see this orange sign?

This orange sign shows a flag person, and the Alaska sign chart says to prepare to stop for a flagger ahead. Flag persons in work zones generally wear orange vests, shirts or jackets and use red flags or stop/slow paddles to stop, slow, or guide traffic through the area. When a flag person stops you, stay stopped until the flag person discontinues the signal. A traffic signal ahead has its own yellow warning sign, a detour sign sends traffic another way, and a road narrows warning tells you to merge.

Orange diamond sign with a road worker symbol

A crew working on or beside the roadway

The pictured orange sign is posted along an Alaska road. What should you watch for?

Orange work warnings call attention to people and equipment near the traveled way. This one points to a crew working on the roadway itself or right beside it. Deer warnings use an animal picture, rest areas are service announcements, and lane orders for trucks are regulatory messages. Slow early, scan both edges and any open lane beside the work, and be ready for a worker or a vehicle to move near your path without much warning.

Orange diamond sign with four lines of black capital letters

Only one lane of the road will be open ahead

A Kansas work zone posts this orange sign ahead of you. What should you expect?

Work zone signs are construction, maintenance, or emergency operation signs that alert you to work zones ahead and warn you that people are working on or near the roadway. They are generally diamond or rectangular and orange with black letters or symbols. A one lane road sign tells you that only a single lane stays open through the work area, so vehicles may have to take turns. Reduce your speed, do not tailgate, and be ready to stop suddenly.

Orange diamond sign with one lane blocked off

Prepare early to move out of the lane that closes

An orange diamond sign warns that a lane will be closed ahead. What is the timely action?

When you see signs indicating lane closures ahead, prepare to move from the closed lane. Signal and change lanes early, while gaps are still available, and avoid sudden moves. In a work zone, observe what other drivers are doing, do not weave from lane to lane, and brake gradually so drivers behind you have time to slow down. Keep up with the flow of traffic.

Orange diamond sign with the words implied by a raised hand symbol

Watch for stopped traffic hidden by a curve or hill

An orange diamond sign warns that traffic ahead may be halted. What is the best preparation?

In a work zone, stay alert for changing traffic patterns and slowing or stopped traffic. Stopped traffic may be hidden around a curve or over a hill, so it can appear with little warning. Keep a reasonable speed and space between vehicles, brake gradually, and pay close attention to the signs and cones that guide you through the zone. Watch for slower speed limits too.

Rectangular sign reading NO PARKING

Never park or leave your vehicle there

This sign is posted at the curb. What does it require?

The NO PARKING face bans leaving the car at that curb around the clock unless the sign posts limited hours. Flashers, darkness, quick errands, and passenger loading create no exception. Find legal parking nearby: posted zones are enforced by citation and tow, especially near intersections, hydrants, and driveways. Posted zones near intersections and hydrants are enforced by tow as well.

Red octagon STOP sign

Make a complete stop before the intersection or at the stop line, then yield

At a STOP sign, which action is required before entering the intersection?

A STOP sign requires the vehicle to become fully stationary before the intersection or at the stop line. The driver must stop behind the crosswalk, check both directions for vehicles and pedestrians, and yield the right-of-way. Merely slowing is inadequate, even on an empty street. Stopping past the crosswalk can put the vehicle into the pedestrian path and reduce the view of traffic. Use the stop line as the first stopping point, then proceed only after the intersection is clear.

Red rectangular WRONG WAY sign

The driver has entered the prohibited direction of a roadway or ramp

If a WRONG WAY sign faces you, what does it indicate?

The Alaska manual describes the white on red WRONG WAY sign together with the DO NOT ENTER sign. The DO NOT ENTER sign faces traffic that would enter a roadway or ramp in the wrong direction, and a WRONG WAY sign may be placed further down that prohibited direction. Seeing it means the vehicle is already traveling the prohibited way. It does not announce a required turn, a lane closure, or a commercial vehicle restriction; those would be different messages.

Red-bordered inverted triangle YIELD sign

Slow down, check both directions, and yield to traffic and pedestrians

When approaching a YIELD sign, what must you be prepared to do?

A YIELD sign calls for a reduced approach speed and an active check to the left and right. Traffic and pedestrians have priority, so the driver gives them room to pass. A full stop is required when stopping is necessary to avoid someone on the protected street, but an empty approach does not automatically require a stop. Looking only left misses a possible road user from the other direction. Slow early enough that stopping remains available.

Right-turn arrow crossed by red slash

Turning right where the sign is posted

A red slash over a right-turn arrow prohibits which maneuver?

The right-turn arrow shows the movement covered by the prohibition, so the driver may not turn right where the sign applies. Straight travel, curbside parking, and yielding to a pedestrian are separate actions and are not identified by this arrow. Check the route before entering the junction and choose a permitted movement. A red slash is not a command to stop every kind of travel. Match the slash to the symbol beneath it, then obey that specific restriction while continuing to watch for people and traffic.

Round yellow RXR sign

A railroad crossing ahead where the driver should prepare to stop

What danger does the round railroad warning sign identify?

The round railroad warning sign marks an upcoming crossing, giving the driver time to reduce speed and assess the tracks. It is not a roundabout sign, a bicycle warning, or a generic passing restriction. Approaching traffic may need to stop for a train even when the crossing equipment is not immediately visible. Treat the advance warning as an early planning cue: check the space beyond the rails, listen, and avoid entering unless the vehicle can fully clear the crossing.

SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 15 WHEN FLASHING sign with a yellow-green SCHOOL header

15 mph

When school-zone signals are flashing in Pennsylvania, what speed must a driver not exceed?

A Pennsylvania school-zone signal is a flashing yellow signal on the school-zone speed-limit sign. During flashing periods, the driver must travel no faster than 15 mph, or follow the time period shown on the sign. Twenty-five and 35 mph are ordinary roadway figures that do not replace the school-zone limit, and 45 mph is plainly too high for the marked area. Watch the sign’s lights, reduce speed before the zone, and expect children near the roadway.

SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 20 WHEN FLASHING sign with a yellow-green SCHOOL header

Reduce speed to the limit shown and watch carefully for children

When the yellow light flashes at an Oklahoma School Zone sign, what must a driver do?

A flashing yellow light at the School Zone sign activates the speed instruction shown for that zone. The driver must reduce speed to that displayed limit, watch carefully for children, and be ready to stop. Maintaining ordinary highway speed ignores the active restriction, while stopping in the lane for the whole interval is not the instruction. Accelerating to beat the signal creates the opposite of the cautious behavior required. The practical cue is the flashing yellow light beside the school-zone message.

Slow moving vehicle emblem with an orange center and red border

A hollow red triangle

At night in Alaska, what shape on the pictured emblem tells you a slow vehicle is ahead?

After dark the emblem shows itself by outline rather than by its daylight center. The red border forms a hollow triangle that marks a slow moving vehicle for drivers approaching from behind. A solid orange square misstates both shape and fill, white on green belongs to guide signing, and a black arrow on yellow belongs to warning direction signs. When that hollow red outline appears ahead, slow early and leave generous following space until you can pass with a clear view.

Soft shoulder warning sign

Stay paved; soft dirt can seize control

What does a Texas soft-shoulder warning mean?

Soft shoulders grab tires and flip corrections. Texas warns of soft dirt beside the pavement that may seize control of the car, demanding extreme caution to stay on the paved portion. Shoulder passes, dirt rests, and edge speeding all invite the grab. The cue is the crumbling rim: keep every tire on asphalt, and if forced off, slow down and steer firmly.

Speeding fines doubled sign

Fines double for speeding there

What does a Speeding Fines Doubled sign warn?

Doubled-fine zones announce themselves: the Speeding Fines Doubled sign posts in active school and work zones, warning that speeding citations there carry twice the fine. Waivers, lifted limits, and warnings-only readings invert a sign that exists to protect children and workers with heavier punishment. The doubling pairs with possible civil penalties and course requirements. Slow early when the orange or fluorescent zone signs appear, because the doubled fine starts where the zone starts.

Square sign with red circle reading DO NOT ENTER

Continuing beyond the sign into the roadway or ramp it faces

What does a red and white DO NOT ENTER sign prohibit?

A DO NOT ENTER sign faces traffic that would enter a roadway or ramp in the wrong direction. The driver must not proceed beyond that sign. It is not a parking restriction, a turn instruction, or a time-of-day rule. A WRONG WAY sign may appear farther along the prohibited direction, but seeing that second sign does not make the first one optional. Treat the red and white face as an immediate instruction to keep out.

Truck symbol crossed by a red circle and slash

Trucks are prohibited at this place

What does the red slash over the truck symbol on this Arkansas sign mean?

A regulation sign with a red circle and a red slash over a symbol prohibits the pictured use. The slash over the truck symbol means trucks may not use that street or area. It is not a check in point, and it gives no delivery exception for entering. A truck route sign would guide trucks toward a road built for them, which is the reverse message. Whatever picture sits under the slash, that use is barred at the signed place.

U-turn arrow crossed by a red circle and slash

A particular maneuver is prohibited

What do red circle and slash regulation signs tell a driver?

A red circle with a slash marks a regulation that prohibits a particular maneuver. The rule might forbid a turn in one direction or prohibit a U-turn. The passing choice confuses a restriction with permission to use a lane, while the railroad and slippery-road choices describe warning information shown by different signs. When this symbol appears, read the picture inside it and avoid the movement shown. The useful cue is the slash itself: it means do not perform the maneuver represented by the symbol.

White lane-use sign with a black left-turn arrow above the word ONLY

Make a left turn from that lane

You are driving in a lane below or facing this sign. What must you do?

The Alaska sign chart says to make a left turn when you are in a lane below or facing this sign. It is a black on white regulatory sign, so the instruction must be understood and obeyed, and going straight from that lane is not allowed. The sign says nothing about waiting for a green arrow. As with any left turn, signal for at least the last 100 feet and yield to oncoming traffic before you turn. The sign is a command to the drivers in that lane, not a warning to yield to someone else.

White rectangular DO NOT PASS sign

Obey the sign and look for double solid lines

What does the white rectangular DO NOT PASS sign shown here require a Delaware driver to do?

The DO NOT PASS sign is a regulatory sign, so the driver must obey it and also look for the double solid lines on the highway that mark the same restriction. Passing because the vehicle ahead is slow defeats the rule, and using the shoulder is not a lawful substitute for a passing lane. A clear view of the road ahead does not cancel the sign. Keep your lane, hold a safe following distance, and wait until passing is clearly permitted again.

White rectangular LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT sign

A driver traveling in the left lane

A LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT sign is posted ahead. Which driver must follow it?

The instruction applies to traffic occupying the left lane, which must turn left at the upcoming intersection. It does not force the right lane to turn, and a driver going straight in the right lane is unaffected, and it has nothing to do with vehicles already inside the junction. Move into a permitted lane early if you need a different movement. Lane position is the key cue, not merely the presence of the sign overhead.

White rectangular NO TURN ON RED sign

It prohibits a right or left turn on red at that intersection

What does a NO TURN ON RED sign change at a signalized intersection?

This sign removes the usual red-light turning permission at the marked intersection. A driver must wait for a permissive signal before making the prohibited right or left turn. Clear pavement does not override the posted instruction, and the sign is not limited to U-turns. Look for it beside the signal or at the corner, then remain behind the stop line until the allowed movement appears.

White rectangular NO TURNS regulatory sign

Both right and left turns

At an intersection, which movement is prohibited by a NO TURNS sign?

The no-turns sign closes both turning choices at that intersection. It is broader than a sign that bans only a U-turn or only a right turn, and stopping first does not create an exception. Drivers should continue straight only if that movement is permitted, or choose another route. Read the words and symbol together before entering the intersection so a last-second turn is not attempted.

White rectangular RIGHT LANE MUST TURN RIGHT sign

Direction and information about where a driver can turn

What type of information does a lane control sign provide?

Lane control signs use directions and arrow symbols to show how a lane may be used, including where a turn is permitted. They can appear beside the roadway or above it, and a matching arrow may also be painted on the pavement. The fuel station choice describes a service sign, not lane use. Check the overhead or roadside arrow before selecting a lane so the vehicle is positioned for a legal movement.

White rectangular sign with black capital letters on four lines

Stay back until you can clear the tracks completely

You approach a railroad crossing marked with this sign while traffic beyond the tracks is backed up. What should you do?

A train cannot stop quickly because of its huge weight and size, so you must never let traffic trap you on the tracks. The handbook says that if you need to stop for traffic or a signal near railroad tracks, you stop at the stop line before the tracks. Only proceed through a crossing if you are sure you can completely clear it without stopping on the tracks. When vehicles are backed up beyond the crossing, hold back until there is room for your whole vehicle on the far side.

White rectangular sign with black capital letters on three lines

Do not enter unless you can clear it completely

A Kansas driver sees this sign at an intersection while traffic beyond it is backed up. What does it require?

This sign tells you not to stop, stand, or park at any time in the intersection. The handbook adds that you must not enter an intersection if traffic conditions do not permit you to clear it completely, and you must not block traffic entering the intersection from any other direction. A green light does not change that. If vehicles are stopped beyond the intersection, wait behind it until there is room for your whole vehicle on the far side.

White rectangular sign with black text and a large two digit number

Drive at least that fast to avoid being a hazard

A Kansas expressway posts this sign. What must drivers do?

Speed limit signs are black and white and show either the maximum or the minimum legal speed. Some high-speed roads have minimum speed limits, and you are legally required to travel at least that fast so you are not a hazard to other drivers. A maximum limit, by contrast, should be driven only in ideal conditions, and you must slow down for rain, snow, ice, fog, or anytime it is difficult to see the roadway clearly.

White rectangular sign with two lines of black capital letters

Drivers may not enter this road

You see this sign across a Kansas street. What does it mean?

Barriers such as drums, cones, and tubes keep traffic out of hazardous work zones, and they may be used to keep drivers from entering closed roads or other areas where it is dangerous to drive. A road closed sign works the same way: you do not go past it. Follow the signs and road markings that guide you through the work zone, such as a detour, instead of driving around the barrier to save time.

White sign reading 2 TRACKS

How many tracks are present at the crossing

This sign is posted beneath a railroad crossbuck. What does the number on it tell you?

When a crossing has more than one set of tracks, Arkansas places a sign beneath the crossbuck with a number showing how many tracks are present. These signs warn that there may be more than one train crossing, so watch for additional trains coming from either direction. When crossing several sets of tracks, cross only when the train is well down the tracks. The number has nothing to do with speed, train schedules, or the distance to another crossing.

White SPEED LIMIT 50 sign

Do not drive faster than the posted speed

What does a black on white regulatory sign like this one require of drivers?

The Alaska sign chart's caption for the speed limit sign is simply do not exceed posted speed, and the manual repeats the point: accelerate but do not exceed the posted speed limit. Because it is a regulatory sign, the limit is backed by law and a violation can bring a traffic citation. The figure is a ceiling, not a target, since you are not required to drive at the maximum speed limits. Rough, icy, or wet roads, heavy traffic, or poor visibility call for a careful and prudent speed below it.

White X-shaped RAILROAD CROSSING crossbuck

Be prepared to stop for trains

What should a driver do when approaching the railroad crossbuck shown here?

The railroad crossbuck and its warning message tell drivers to prepare for trains. A gate is not the only cue that requires caution, so waiting for a barrier would be too late. Trains cannot stop easily, nor within a short distance, so acceleration does not create a safe crossing. The manual also says never to shift gears on the crossing; with a manual transmission, shift down before the tracks. Slow, look, listen, and make sure the crossing can be cleared before entering it.

Yellow curved-arrow sign

A curve is ahead, so the driver should take it at the advisory speed

What does the curved-arrow warning indicate?

The curved-arrow warning identifies a bend ahead and gives the driver a cue to adjust speed before reaching it. The advisory speed is a planning reference for taking the curve, not a command to make a turn at a junction. The sign also does not announce a road closure or create a passing zone. Braking and steering should be settled before the bend whenever possible. Reduce speed early, then maintain a controlled path through the curve.

Yellow diamond crossroad warning sign

Another road crosses the highway ahead

What does this Alabama warning sign tell a driver about the road ahead?

A crossing road brings traffic from both left and right, unlike a side junction joining from one direction. A farm exit and a shopping driveway are private or minor entrances with different warning signs. A divided start changes your own roadway rather than adding a cross street. Slow slightly, scan both corners for turning or crossing vehicles, and cover the brake until the junction is clear.

Yellow diamond DEAD END warning sign

The street ahead has no outlet and no through route

This pictured sign warns that the street ahead has which condition?

A dead end warning means the road simply stops being a through route. Drivers who continue should expect to turn around rather than reach another street. Local traffic, parked cars, and children may fill the short stretch because no through flow passes. Enter slowly, watch for vehicles backing from driveways, and choose a safe place to turn. If you do not need an address there, avoid entering at all. Turning early saves the tight backing and three point maneuvers that cramped ends often force on unprepared drivers near homes.

Yellow diamond DEER CROSSING warning sign with a leaping deer

Deer crossing the road unexpectedly

What does this yellow warning sign tell you to be alert for?

The Alaska sign chart says this sign means be alert for deer crossing unexpectedly, and a matching sign warns of caribou crossing unexpectedly. Like other black on yellow warning signs, it alerts you to an actual or potentially dangerous condition, so extra caution is needed. The manual advises looking for wildlife warning signs that mark areas known to have higher animal activity near the roadway. Use caution at dawn or dusk, scan the road and roadsides ahead, and keep your headlights and windshield clean.

Yellow diamond DIP warning sign

A dip in the roadway, so slow down

What road condition does this pictured Alabama warning sign announce, and what should a driver do?

A dip drops the pavement briefly, which can jolt steering and compress suspension at speed. Alabama pairs the warning with a simple speed reduction, giving tires and springs time to absorb the change. Treating the feature as a hill, a gravel patch, or a place to halt misreads the symbol. Ease off early, keep the vehicle centered, and avoid hard braking while wheels cross the lowest point. Following drivers also gain room when the slowdown happens gradually.

Yellow diamond hill grade warning sign with a truck on a slope

The road ahead goes downhill

What does this Alabama warning sign announce about the road ahead?

A downgrade lets gravity build speed, so gear choice and early braking matter before the descent steepens. A beginning divider describes a change in roadway separation, not gradient. An upgrade would work the engine harder while helping slow the car. Surface ending concerns gravel or dirt, not slope. Check the descent early, select a lower gear when needed, and keep speed from creeping upward.

Yellow diamond NARROW BRIDGE warning sign

A narrow bridge lies ahead

What does this sign announce?

A narrower deck leaves less spare room beside opposing or same direction vehicles, so position and speed need care before you enter. Closure would be posted as a closing, not as a width warning. A bridge too tight to meet another vehicle uses a one lane message, which is stricter than narrow. No payment duty appears in this warning. Center your vehicle early and avoid passing on the span.

Yellow diamond right curve warning sign with a yellow 35 MPH plaque mounted below it

Treat it as a warning that conditions may make a higher speed unsafe

How should a Delaware driver use an advisory speed sign posted before a curve?

An advisory speed sign warns that conditions on a portion of highway may make it unsafe to drive faster. It is guidance for adjusting speed, not permission to add the advisory number to the legal limit. Ignoring the warning until an officer appears defeats its safety purpose, while stopping in a travel lane creates another hazard. The cue is the yellow advisory sign under a warning sign: read it as an early signal to slow for conditions.

Yellow diamond school-bus-stop-ahead warning sign

A stopped school bus may pick up or drop off passengers

What does a school-bus-stop-ahead warning tell a driver to expect?

The warning identifies an area where a stopped school bus may pick up or drop off passengers. Watch for children and prepare to stop rather than treating the sign as a routine intersection stop or a railroad signal. The advance notice gives you time to lower speed and cover the brake. If the bus displays its warning lights and stop arm, follow the school-bus stopping rules for the roadway and your direction of travel.

Yellow diamond sign showing a median island ending and the two opposing lanes coming together

The divided highway you are on ends ahead

What does the pictured yellow diamond sign tell you about the road ahead?

This warning sign means the divided section of highway ends ahead. It is a yellow diamond, and signs of that kind warn you of a special situation or hazard, so slow down and be ready to stop if necessary. A different sign warns that you are approaching a divided highway and tells you to keep to the right. Reading the picture on the sign, along with its shape and color, tells you which of the two applies.

Yellow diamond sign showing two lane lines narrowing toward each other

Slow down, because the roadway ahead narrows

You see the pictured yellow warning sign while driving. What should you do?

The roadway narrows sign comes with plain advice: slow down. Yellow warning signs tell you that a special situation or hazard is ahead, and they ask you to be prepared to stop if necessary. A related sign shows room for only one lane of traffic, and its advice is to slow down and prepare to yield to oncoming vehicles. In both cases, speeding up shrinks the margin you have for reacting.

Yellow diamond sign with a black walking figure above a small plaque with a diagonal arrow

Yield as you would at a corner

You see this sign at a marked crosswalk in the middle of a Kansas block, and a person steps into the crosswalk. What should you do?

Crosswalks exist at all intersections where a sidewalk meets the street, and not all of them have markings. Mid-block crosswalks require you to yield as you would at a corner, and mid-block crossings have warning signs and pavement markings. A walking figure sign with an arrow points out where the crosswalk is. When someone is in or entering it, stop and let the person cross, because you must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Yellow diamond sign with an arrow bending one way then the opposite way

Prepare for a sharp right turn and then a turn to the left

A yellow diamond sign shows the road bending sharply one way and then sharply back the other way. What should you do?

This warning sign means a sharp turn to the right and then to the left. Slow down before the first turn, because a vehicle cannot travel as fast in a curve as in a straight line, and braking in a curve can cause a skid. Set your speed early so you can handle both turns smoothly while staying in your lane.

Yellow diamond sign with three arrows circling counterclockwise

Reduce speed and yield to pedestrians and vehicles already in the circle

What does the roundabout warning sign tell a driver to do?

The roundabout warning combines two actions: reduce speed and yield to pedestrians and vehicles already circulating. Accelerating to enter first defeats the yielding requirement. The central island is not a stopping place, and traffic does not travel clockwise in Delaware roundabouts. Before entry, scan for people in the crosswalk and circulating traffic, then enter only when the gap is safe. Once inside, follow the circular roadway and prepare to yield again when exiting to pedestrians.

Yellow diamond sign with two upward arrows, one joining from the side

A lane is added, so you can continue without merging

A yellow diamond sign shows two lanes continuing ahead with an extra lane joining from the side. What should you expect?

The added lane sign means a lane joins the road and merging is not required, so traffic already in your lane can keep going. The manual adds a caution: watch for other vehicles changing lanes, since drivers in the new lane may move over. Check your mirrors and blind spot and keep some space beside you near the point where the lane joins.

Yellow diamond STOP AHEAD warning sign

A stop sign is ahead

What does this sign tell an Alabama driver to expect ahead?

Advance notice gives you time to prepare for a required halt rather than braking late at the control itself. A yield has its own advance sign and a different duty, while a lane ending asks for a merge. Railroad advance warnings use a round yellow sign with a cross and letters. Start easing off speed, scan the junction beyond the coming stop sign, and be ready to halt at its stop line.

Yellow diamond warning sign showing a long low vehicle on a raised set of railroad tracks

Low vehicles may drag on the tracks

This yellow diamond railroad warning sign shows a long, low vehicle on top of a raised set of tracks. What hazard does it describe?

This is the Low Ground Railroad Crossing sign. It warns that a steep slope where the tracks cross the road may cause the bottom of low vehicles to get caught or drag on the tracks. A vehicle stuck on the rails is in serious danger from approaching trains. Drivers of low trailers, long vehicles or cars with little ground clearance should find another crossing. If a vehicle ever stalls on the tracks, get out right away and move away from the rails.

Yellow diamond warning sign with a double bend arrow

Sharp left, then sharp right

What does this sign mean?

The sign warns that the road makes two sharp turns in quick succession, first to the left and then to the right. Slow before the first bend and be ready to steer through the second without cutting across the center. A single gradual curve, a long winding stretch, or a required intersection turn does not match the paired sharp changes shown.

Yellow diamond warning sign with a right-angle arrow pointing left

A sharp turn ahead that requires careful speed control

This right-angle warning arrow tells a driver to expect what?

The right-angle arrow warns of a sharp turn ahead, where the roadway changes direction abruptly. It is not a command to make a U-turn, and it does not identify a pedestrian crossing or a railroad gate. Release speed before the turn, scan beyond the sign, and follow the curve without drifting across the lane line. The useful cue is the word sharp, which calls for earlier speed control than a gentle bend. Keep the vehicle balanced through the turn rather than braking suddenly within it.

Yellow diamond YIELD AHEAD warning sign

A YIELD sign ahead

What does this sign tell a driver to expect ahead?

An advance notice gives time to ease off the speed and prepare to give way at the control just ahead. The warning itself is not the place to stop, and it does not announce a stop sign, a signal, or tracks. Look beyond the diamond for the red and white yield sign, scan traffic on the intersecting road, and be ready to wait if another vehicle or a pedestrian has the right to go first. Rolling in prepared prevents a rushed stop.

Yellow merge arrow sign

Traffic may merge from the right, so the driver should be alert and adjust speed

What roadway change does a MERGE warning identify?

Alaska's sign chart captions the merge warning sign as be alert for traffic merging from the right. Like other warning signs, it alerts the driver to a potentially dangerous condition ahead, and the manual says most warning signs imply the driver should decrease speed. It does not reserve a lane for hazardous materials, require an exit, or make merging traffic wait indefinitely. Watch the joining lane and adjust speed so traffic can merge safely.

Yellow pennant NO PASSING ZONE sign

A section where passing is prohibited

What does an Alabama NO PASSING ZONE sign mark?

The NO PASSING ZONE sign marks the beginning of a section where passing is prohibited. The manual places it on the left side of a two-lane road, and it works alongside the solid yellow center stripes used where passing would be hazardous. The choice saying passing is required reverses the sign's purpose, while a slow-vehicle lane would describe a traffic-use instruction rather than a restriction on overtaking. It is not a detour marker either. Treat the sign as a cue to remain behind the vehicle ahead until the restriction ends and a pass can be completed safely.

Yellow right-angle arrow sign

A sharp turn or curve in the direction of the arrow

What roadway feature is warned by a sharp-turn arrow sign?

Alabama's warning signs with an arrow warn of a sharp turn or curve in the direction the arrow points. A right-angle arrow shows the road turns sharply rather than bending gradually. The sign does not describe an ordinary lane change, a one-way designation, or a pedestrian signal. Reduce speed before reaching the turn and keep the vehicle positioned for the path shown by the roadway rather than cutting across it. Where an advisory speed plate is posted with the arrow, it gives the top safe speed for making the turn.

Yellow sign showing right lane narrowing

The roadway narrows ahead, requiring a safe move into the remaining lane

What does a lane-ending warning require a driver to anticipate?

A lane-ending warning shows that the roadway will narrow ahead, so the driver must plan a safe move into the lane that remains. Check mirrors and blind spots, signal, and change lanes gradually when a suitable gap is available. The sign does not add a lane, create a permanent passing lane, or require all traffic to stop. Identify the open lane early and avoid waiting until the stripe disappears. The warning gives time to make a controlled transition rather than forcing a sudden lateral move beside other vehicles.

Yellow sign with arrows splitting around a median

A multi-lane roadway is divided by a median

What roadway arrangement is shown by a divided-highway warning?

A divided roadway has multiple lanes separated by a divider, and the manual identifies yellow left-edge lines on divided or one-way roadways. The median separates opposing traffic, so it is not an invitation to cross over or make a U-turn wherever convenient. The one-lane choice describes a merge rather than a divided design, and shared opposing traffic would describe an undivided road. As the warning approaches, stay on the vehicle’s side of the divider and follow the lane markings through the separated roadway.

Yellow sign with skidding car

A slippery roadway after rain, frost, or similar conditions

What condition does the skidding-car warning identify?

The skidding-car symbol warns that the roadway can become slippery after rain, frost, or related weather. Reduce speed and use smooth steering, braking, and acceleration because available traction may be lower than the pavement appearance suggests. It does not identify a racing area, automatically require chains on gravel, or indicate a closed bridge. Fresh precipitation can make the surface especially deceptive. Increase following space and avoid sudden control inputs near the warning.

Yellow sign with traffic signal symbol

A traffic signal is ahead, so the driver should prepare to obey it

What condition is indicated by a traffic signal symbol on a yellow warning sign?

The traffic signal symbol gives advance notice of a signal ahead. The driver should look forward, adjust speed as needed, and be ready to obey the indication when reaching the intersection. It does not say that the signal is broken, that police will stop every vehicle, or that streetlights are under repair. Warning signs are meant to identify conditions before the driver arrives at them. The practical cue is to begin scanning for the signal early, especially when a curve, hill, or other obstruction could shorten the available stopping distance.

Yellow sign with two opposing arrows

Keep right of approaching traffic on the two-way road

What does the two-way road warning tell a driver to do?

The two-way warning marks a roadway where traffic approaches from opposite directions. Keeping right leaves space for oncoming vehicles and follows the manual’s instruction for this condition. Using both lanes in either direction would invite a head-on conflict. Staying left because opposing traffic is elsewhere reverses the needed position, while assuming one-way travel ignores the warning. Look for the centerline and maintain a lane that clearly separates your vehicle from approaching traffic.

Yellow sign with walking person

Use caution, slow down, and watch both sides for pedestrians

What is the driver expected to do near a pedestrian crossing warning sign?

The warning identifies a place where people on foot often cross, and the crossing may be between intersections. Drivers should approach more slowly and carefully while watching both sides of the street. The sign alone does not require an unnecessary stop in an empty roadway, but a pedestrian in the crosswalk must be yielded to. Keep sight lines open and cover the brake near the crossing.

Yellow winding-arrow sign

Adjust to the advisory speed for a winding road ahead

What does this warning sign tell you to do?

This black on yellow sign shows a winding road ahead, and the Alaska sign chart says to adjust speed to the advisory speed for that stretch. Warning signs like this one imply that you should reduce speed and adjust your driving to the road. A single sharp turn has its own sign in the chart, and merge and lane ending signs use their own symbols. Slow before the first bend, and keep your speed steady through the curves.

Yellow-green pentagon with two walking figures

A school area or school crosswalk requiring reduced speed

What does the five-sided school sign warn drivers to expect?

The five-sided school sign identifies a school area or school crosswalk. The manual associates that setting with reduced speed and tells drivers to prepare to stop for pedestrians. It does not mark a hospital, describe the number of highway lanes, or exclude pedestrians. Children may enter the roadway unexpectedly, so scan beyond the sign and cover the brake. A driver who waits until the crosswalk is occupied may not leave enough room to stop smoothly.