Traffic sign colors and types

Key points

1. Regulatory signs have a red or white background and inform you of traffic laws or regulations.

   Source: Handbook p. 86

   “Regulatory signs have a red or white background and inform drivers of traffic laws or regulations.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 86

2. Brown signs direct you to recreation areas, parks, points of interest and scenic sites.

   Source: Handbook p. 86

   “Brown signs direct you to public recreational areas, state and national parks, points of interest, and scenic sites.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 86

3. A STOP sign always means come to a complete halt.

   Source: Handbook p. 86

   “A STOP sign always means “come to a complete halt” and applies to each vehicle that comes to the sign.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 86

4. At a 4 way or all way stop, the first vehicle in the intersection has the right of way.

   Source: Handbook p. 86

   “If a 4-WAY or ALL WAY sign is added to a STOP sign at an intersection, all traffic coming to the intersection must stop. The first vehicle in the intersection or four-way stop has the right of way.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 86

5. At a YIELD sign, slow down, be prepared to stop, and let others go first.

   Source: Handbook p. 86

   “When you see a YIELD sign, slow down and be prepared to stop. Let vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians go before you proceed.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 86

6. A red circle with a diagonal slash means something is prohibited.

   Source: Handbook p. 86

   “Signs that use a red circle with a diagonal slash mean that something is prohibited.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 86

7. Yellow and fluorescent yellow green warning signs warn of hazards or changes ahead.

   Source: Handbook p. 86

   “Yellow and fluorescent yellow-green warning signs warn you of hazards or changes in conditions ahead.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 86

8. Green signs give highway directions, and blue signs list services like gas, food and lodging.

   Source: Handbook p. 86

   “Green signs give highway directions and guide you through highway interchanges. Blue signs list motorist services, like gas, food, and lodging.”
   Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 86

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Massachusetts practice test

1. 1. What does a STOP sign always mean in Massachusetts, and to whom does it apply?

   1. Slow to a crawl, and only the first vehicle in line must stop
   2. Come to a complete halt, and it applies to each vehicle that comes to the sign
   3. Stop only if cross traffic is present
   4. Yield, unless the intersection is clear
   Show answer

   Come to a complete halt, and it applies to each vehicle that comes to the sign. A stop sign never softens into a yield. The manual says it always means come to a complete halt, and the duty applies to each vehicle that reaches the sign, so the second and third cars in line stop at the sign in turn rather than following the leader through. Stopping only when cross traffic is visible misses the pedestrians and the cars hidden by parked vehicles. Stop before the line or crosswalk, look both ways, and go only when the way is clear.

2. 2. What do yellow and fluorescent yellow-green warning signs tell a Massachusetts driver?

   1. That there are hazards or changes in conditions ahead
   2. The distance to the next exit
   3. That the road is closed
   4. That a law is being stated that you must obey
   Show answer

   That there are hazards or changes in conditions ahead. Yellow, including the bright fluorescent yellow-green used near schools, is the warning color. These signs announce a hazard or a change in conditions ahead: the road layout may shift, a school zone may be coming, or a special situation may lie around the bend. Regulatory signs, which state laws, are white with black or red, guide signs with distances are green, and a closed road is marked with orange work zone devices and barricades. Read yellow as a prompt to slow and look.

3. 3. What should a Massachusetts driver do on seeing a YIELD sign?

   1. Slow down and be prepared to stop
   2. Speed up to merge ahead of traffic
   3. Come to a complete halt every time
   4. Stop only if a police officer is present
   Show answer

   Slow down and be prepared to stop. The yield sign asks for judgment rather than an automatic stop. Slow down, look for traffic and pedestrians on the road you are entering, and be prepared to stop if they are close; if the way is clear you may continue without stopping. A full stop every time is the stop sign rule, speeding up to beat traffic is the crash the sign exists to prevent, and police presence has nothing to do with it. When in doubt, stopping at a yield sign is always allowed.

Source: the Massachusetts Driver's Manual, Chapter 4: 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.