Road signs by shape and color

Key points

1. Know signs by their shape and color as well as their words, numbers or figures.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “You must know highway signs by their shape and color, as well as by the words, numbers, or figures on them.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 74

2. The stop sign is the only 8 sided sign. Stop at the stop line, or the crosswalk, or before the intersection.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “The stop sign is the only 8-sided sign you will see on the highway. It’s red with white letters. When you come to a stop sign, you must make a complete stop at the stop line; or, if none, at the crosswalk; or if none, before entering the intersection.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 74

3. At a yield sign, slow down, yield to vehicles and pedestrians, and stop if necessary.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “You must yield the right-of-way to any vehicle or pedestrian in or approaching the intersection, stopping if necessary.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 74

4. The five sided black on yellow sign warns only of schools and school crossings.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “Five-sided sign black on yellow is used only to warn of schools and school crossings.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 75

5. The round black on yellow sign warns of a highway rail crossing ahead.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “Round sign black on yellow is used as an advance warning that you are approaching a highway-rail intersection.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 75

6. The white X shaped crossbuck means the same as a yield sign: yield to trains.

   Source: Handbook p. 84

   “This sign has the same meaning as a Yield sign. You must yield to crossing trains.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 84

7. Warning signs are usually yellow with black lettering and most are diamond shaped.

   Source: Handbook p. 75

   “These signs are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols and most are diamond shaped.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 75

8. Most guide signs are rectangles with white letters on a green background.

   Source: Handbook p. 78

   “Most guide signs are rectangular (four-sided) in shape with white letters on a green background.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 78

9. Fines for speeding in a work zone are doubled.

   Source: Handbook p. 79

   “Fines for exceeding the speed limit in a work zone are doubled.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 79

10. If you exceed an advisory speed and crash, you may be found to have broken the general speed law.

    Source: Handbook p. 94

    “Although an advisory speed is not a specific speed limit, if you exceed it and have a crash, it may be concluded that you violated the general speed restriction and you could be subject to arrest.”
    Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 94

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Delaware practice test

1. 1. Which highway sign shape is reserved for a stop sign in Delaware?

   1. An eight-sided shape
   2. A five-sided shape
   3. A round shape
   4. A diamond shape
   Show answer

   An eight-sided shape. The octagon is reserved for the stop sign, making the instruction recognizable even before the driver reads its words. Delaware describes the five-sided sign as a school warning, the round sign as an advance railroad warning, and the diamond as a general warning shape. Those alternatives therefore identify different hazards or rules. The cue is the eight-sided outline: prepare for a complete stop at the required stopping point, then yield before proceeding.

2. 2. What do the shape and color of a Delaware warning sign help a driver recognize?

   1. The route number assigned by the state
   2. The exact legal speed limit for the road
   3. The distance to the next fuel station
   4. The type of information the sign provides
   Show answer

   The type of information the sign provides. Delaware uses sign shape and color as quick clues about the message ahead. A warning sign is commonly yellow and diamond shaped, signaling an unusual condition or hazard that calls for reduced speed and readiness to stop. A white rectangular sign is used for legal restrictions such as speed limits, while blue service signs point toward amenities. Route numbers appear on guide markers with their own designs. When the yellow diamond appears, read the symbol and adjust your driving before the hazard, rather than treating the sign as a command to continue at the same pace.

3. 3. What does the crossbuck sign at a highway rail intersection mean?

   1. It has the same meaning as a yield sign, so yield to crossing trains
   2. It guarantees the tracks are clear
   3. It requires drivers to accelerate across the tracks
   4. It marks a school bus loading zone
   Show answer

   It has the same meaning as a yield sign, so yield to crossing trains. The white X-shaped railroad crossbuck carries the same meaning as a yield sign, so drivers must yield to crossing trains. It is not a guarantee that tracks are clear, and accelerating to beat a train is dangerous. A school bus loading zone is unrelated to the crossbuck. The cue is to scan and listen at every crossing, obey flashing lights or gates, and never enter unless there is room beyond the tracks for the entire vehicle.

Source: the Delaware Driver Manual, Section Four: Rules of the Road. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.