Sign shapes and colors

Key points

1. The eight-sided red sign means STOP. Stop at the stop line, or before the crosswalk or intersection.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “This eight-sided red sign means STOP. You must make a complete stop at the stop line. If there is no stop line, stop before entering the crosswalk. If there is no crosswalk, stop before entering the intersection.”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 63

2. The three-sided red and white sign means YIELD. Let all traffic and pedestrians go first.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “This three-sided sign means YIELD the right of way. You must let all traffic and pedestrians go before proceeding. YIELD signs are red and white.”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 63

3. The railroad crossing sign is an advance warning that tracks cross the road ahead, and in rural areas it may be up to 750 feet before the crossing.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “It is an advance warning sign that means a railroad track will cross the roadway ahead. In rural areas, the sign may be up to 750 feet before the railroad crossing.”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 63

4. A diamond sign means warning. It may be yellow, yellow-green or orange.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “This diamond-shaped sign means WARNING. It may be yellow, yellow-green, or orange with black wording or symbols.”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 63

5. A five-sided sign means school zone or school crossing.

   Source: Handbook p. 64

   “This five-sided sign is yellow or yellow-green with black symbols. It means either SCHOOL ZONE or SCHOOL CROSSING.”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 64

6. A yellow three-sided sign on the left side of a two-lane, two-way road marks a no passing zone.

   Source: Handbook p. 64

   “This three-sided sign is yellow with black letters and indicates a NO PASSING ZONE. The sign will appear on the left side of a two-lane, two-way roadway”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 64

7. Red signs are regulatory and must be obeyed: STOP, YIELD, DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY.

   Source: Handbook p. 64

   “RED signs are regulatory signs and must be obeyed. They include STOP, YIELD, DO NOT ENTER, or WRONG WAY.”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 64

8. Orange is used for warning signs, usually found in construction or maintenance zones.

   Source: Handbook p. 64

   “ORANGE is used for warning signs, usually found in construction or maintenance zones along streets and highways.”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 64

9. Green signs are guide signs showing where you are, which way to go and distances.

   Source: Handbook p. 64

   “GREEN is used for guide signs. These signs tell you where you are, which way to go, and the distance to upcoming destinations.”
   Illinois Rules of the Road, Handbook p. 64

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Illinois practice test

1. 1. At an Illinois STOP sign with no stop line, where must you stop?

   
   1. After entering the intersection so cross traffic can see you
   2. Only beside the sign post
   3. Before entering the crosswalk
   4. At least one car length past the crosswalk
   Show answer

   Before entering the crosswalk. A STOP sign requires a complete stop at the stop line when one is marked. If there is no stop line, the stopping point moves to before the crosswalk. If the location has neither a stop line nor a crosswalk, stop before entering the intersection. A response that puts the vehicle in the intersection reverses the rule and exposes the car to crossing traffic. Stopping beside the sign post is not the standard unless that point also happens to be the required line. Remember the sequence: line, crosswalk, then intersection edge.

2. 2. What must a driver do at an Illinois YIELD sign before proceeding?

   
   1. Accelerate through the intersection before other traffic arrives
   2. Let all traffic and pedestrians go first, slowing or stopping if necessary
   3. Enter first whenever the driver is already near the sign
   4. Stop only when a police officer is directing traffic
   Show answer

   Let all traffic and pedestrians go first, slowing or stopping if necessary. The Illinois YIELD sign means you must let all traffic and pedestrians go before proceeding. Slow to a safe speed, and stop if that is needed to avoid interfering with them. The choice about accelerating treats the sign like a race for space, which is the opposite of yielding. The duty applies whether or not a police officer is present; a handheld stop sign is a different control used by authorized people such as school guards or flaggers. Being close to the sign does not grant priority. Scan both directions and stop when the gap is not safe.

3. 3. What do red roadway signs indicate?

   1. Warnings about construction equipment only
   2. Optional directions to recreation areas
   3. Regulatory instructions that must be obeyed
   4. Services such as fuel or food
   Show answer

   Regulatory instructions that must be obeyed. Red signs are regulatory signs and must be obeyed. Illinois examples include STOP, YIELD, DO NOT ENTER, and WRONG WAY. They are not optional recreation guides, construction-only warnings, or service markers. When red appears on one of these signs, treat the instruction as a traffic control command and follow the required action before continuing. The color signals that the instruction is mandatory.

Source: the Illinois Rules of the Road, Chapter 9: Roadway Signs. 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.