Warning, school, construction and guide signs

Key points

1. Most warning signs are yellow. Pedestrian, bicycle and school signs may be yellow or fluorescent yellow green.

   Source: Handbook p. 59

   “Most warning signs are yellow. Pedestrian or bicycle crossing signs and school zone signs may be yellow or fluorescent yellow-green.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 59

2. Pentagon shaped school zone signs mean a school or school crosswalk is ahead. Watch for children.

   Source: Handbook p. 60

   “pentagon-shaped warning signs indicate that a school or an approved school crosswalk is ahead. Watch for children and be prepared to stop.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 60

3. The pennant sign on the left side of a two way highway warns of the start of a no passing zone.

   Source: Handbook p. 60

   “This sign is on the left side of a two-way highway. It warns of the beginning of a no passing zone.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 60

4. The slow moving vehicle emblem is required on vehicles traveling 30 mph or less.

   Source: Handbook p. 61

   “This emblem must be displayed on all vehicles that travel at speeds of 30 mph or less”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 61

5. Lane Ends: right lane vehicles must merge into the left lane and yield.

   Source: Handbook p. 63

   “In this example, vehicles in the right lane must merge into left-lane traffic. Right-lane vehicles must yield.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 63

6. Orange signs mark construction and work zones. Slow down when you see one.

   Source: Handbook p. 64

   “Orange signs with black letters are used in construction and work zones. Slow down when you see an orange sign.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 64

7. Blue signs direct you to services such as gas, food, motels, hospitals and rest areas.

   Source: Handbook p. 65

   “Blue signs direct you to services such as telephones, gas, food, motels, hospitals and rest areas.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 65

Numbers to know

Recognize these signs

3 questions from the Minnesota practice test

1. 1. What should you do when you see a slow-moving vehicle emblem on the vehicle ahead?

   1. Stop until the vehicle turns off the road
   2. Speed up and pass it right away
   3. Follow closely so you can pass sooner
   4. Adjust your speed or prepare to change lanes
   Show answer

   Adjust your speed or prepare to change lanes. The slow-moving vehicle emblem must be shown on vehicles that travel 30 mph or less on a public road, such as farm implements or animal-drawn vehicles. When you see it, adjust your speed or prepare to change lanes. Speeding up to pass right away or following closely is not the instruction, and you do not need to stop. The emblem marks slow traffic; it is not a speed limit for your own vehicle.

2. 2. What does a Divided Highway Ends warning sign tell you?

   1. A new lane is being added on the right ahead
   2. The road splits into two one-way roadways ahead
   3. Two-way traffic will no longer be split by a center island
   4. The road you are on ends at a T-intersection
   Show answer

   Two-way traffic will no longer be split by a center island. The Divided Highway Ends sign means the divided road ends ahead, and two-way traffic will no longer be separated by a center island. Oncoming traffic will be on the other side of the center line instead of across a median. The Divided Highway Begins sign is the opposite: the road is dividing, so stay to the right. An added lane and a T-intersection have their own warning signs.

3. 3. What does an orange traffic sign usually indicate in Minnesota?

   1. A recreational site or cultural attraction
   2. A construction or work zone condition
   3. A mandatory stop at a railroad crossing
   4. A route to food, fuel, or lodging
   Show answer

   A construction or work zone condition. Orange signs identify construction and work zone warnings. They can signal restricted lanes, detours, or other road work hazards, so drivers should slow down and follow the changed path. Brown signs point toward historic, cultural, or recreational locations, while blue signs describe motorist services. A railroad stop requirement is not the general meaning of orange. Watch for cones, drums, barriers, workers, and people giving directions near the orange sign. The sign color is an immediate cue that normal lane patterns or speeds may not continue through the area.

Source: the Minnesota Driver's Manual, Chapter 5: Signs, signals and pavement markings. 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.