Driving requires you to do a lot of things at once. You’re looking in front of you, behind you, next to you, checking your blind spots, checking your speed and keeping your car centered in the lane. And at the same time you are also reading and deciphering signs. So many signs. Some make sense and some are just…well, let’s take a look at some confusing signs just for fun.
If you thought there were only two options when it comes to turning, think again!
If you get this one right on the first try, you deserve a prize! If not, look for the next available U-turn sign.
Whoa! Sign overload!
Two roads diverged at the beach, and I saw all of these road signs and panicked.
And some signs mean well, but just aren’t clear.
This sign is cute, but why does that road have a waistline?
The More You Know about Road Signs, the Less Confusing They Get
Road signs are everywhere, warning us of hazards and letting us know where to go to reach our destination. Understanding the meaning of road signs is essential for driving safely and for passing the driver's license exam. Let’s take a “behind the scenes” (behind the signs?) look at how signs are designed and what to look out for when you are on the road.
Road Sign Colors and Shapes: Not Random Afterall
A sign’s color and shape give you a lot of info. You can train your brain to associate certain sign colors and shapes with certain messages, which enables you to decipher road sign meanings quickly, without having to think too much.
In the United States, road sign colors are categorized into the following groups:
Red Road Signs
Red means stop. Any time you see a red sign or red lights, it’s a sign to come to a full stop.
Green Road Signs
Green means go. Green signs provide information about roads and highways and give directions to cultural and recreational points of interest.
Blue Road Signs
Blue signs let drivers know about nearby services, such as gas, lodging, and tourist information.
Yellow Road Signs
Yellow means warning or slow down. Yellow is used for roadway warning signs and yield signs.
Fluorescent Yellow Road Signs
Fluorescent yellow signs are used for school zones and pedestrian crossings.
Orange Road Signs
Orange signs are for roadway work-zone warnings.
Black Road Signs
Black also indicates a regulation of some kind.
White Road Signs
White backgrounds are for regulatory road signs, such as speed limits.
Brown Road Signs
Brown signs indicate city and town limits and are used to identify places of cultural and recreational interest.
Driving Sign Shapes
Octagon Road Signs
Octagons are used for Stop signs.
Horizontal Rectangle Road Signs
Horizontal rectangular signs provide roadway guidance.
Equilateral Triangle Road Signs
Triangles are used for Yield signs.
Pennant Road Signs
Pennant-shaped signs warn drivers that a no-passing zone is ahead.
Diamond Road Signs
Diamonds are used for warning signs.
Vertical Rectangle Road Signs
Vertical rectangle road signs are used to convey regulatory information, such as the speed limit.
Pentagon Road Signs
Pentagons are used in school zones.
Round Road Signs
Circular signs are used at railroad crossings.
Road Signs Will Be on the Test
When you take a driver’s license written test, you must answer questions about the meaning of road signs. You’ll learn about all the road signs and their meanings when you take a drivers ed course. You can also get a free copy of your state’s Drivers Handbook to review road sign meanings.
Looking for a sign that you’ve mastered all there is to know about signs? Take a practice test or two! Practice tests ask you questions similar to the questions on the actual written test, including questions covering the meaning of road signs. Taking the practice tests included with our Drivers Ed course makes it easy to pass the written test.
You must also be comfortable with the meaning of driving signs when you take the road-skill test for your driver’s license. On the road, you must instantly recognize common signs and symbols and be able to follow what they say. To gain practice reading driving signs while you are driving, get a learner’s permit and practice behind-the-wheel with an experienced driver before you take the road-skill test.
Road Signs and their Meanings
Next, let’s go over a handful of common traffic signs you will come across in your driving adventures.
4-Way Stop
Some intersections may have signs like this that either say “4-WAY” or “ALL WAY.” This sign is just letting you know that traffic coming to the intersection from all sides has to stop. Some intersections only have stop signs on one of the cross streets. When you come to an intersection, always pay attention to which streets have a stop sign.
Road Closed
That red color means you have to stop. The words on the sign are telling you the road is closed. No one is permitted to use it, and sadly, this includes you. Find yourself another route, because the road with this traffic sign is off limits. Don’t drive around barricades or pull some other crazy move to sneak onto the road. It’s probably closed for a reason, and you shouldn’t put yourself in danger or get pulled over by the police.
Highway Lane Indicators
Life comes at you fast on the highway. Use these green rectangular signs to figure out what lane to be in. Trust me, you don’t want to go to Dallas when you meant to go to San Antonio. You only make that mistake once!
Railroad Crossing
A round, yellow sign? Has to be railroad crossing! That RR with the criscrossed lines kind of gives it away too. Always slow down before approaching railroad tracks. And never stop on the tracks. Want some classic driving advice? If you hit a red light right before a railroad crossing, make sure your car is not stopped on the tracks. As long as there have been trains and cars, this has always been true.
Sharp Turn
As you can see by the color and shape of this sign, you are being warned to slow down. The arrow indicates a sharp turn is ahead and that you should probably slow down to 20 miles per hour. What a helpful sign!
One Way
This sign is one of the more important ones to be on the lookout for. Turning the wrong way down a one-way street is kinda stressful. As you can see this is a black and white sign, which indicates it’s a regulatory sign. In other words you have to obey it or else you could get a ticket. Also you don’t want to be that person going the wrong way on a street.
And that, my friend, wraps up our discussion of signs. Hope you learned a little something. If you enjoyed this article, chances are you would like taking drivers ed with Aceable. We make learning stuff you have to learn about (things like signs) fun!
Updated 11/10/22