Road signs

By the end of this topic you can

• You can tell regulatory, warning and direction signs apart by shape and colour.
• You can obey stop, give way, no entry, speed and turn-ban signs.
• You can recognise advisory speed signs and adjust your speed.
• You can follow route markers and freeway direction signs.
• You can react to temporary roadwork signs.

What you need to know and understand

• Regulatory signs set rules you must obey; most are black and white, sometimes with red to show a restriction, plus the octagonal stop sign and triangular give way sign.
• Warning signs are usually yellow diamonds that tell you about a hazard ahead, such as a curve, crest, school or animals.
• A yellow advisory speed plate shows a safe speed for a hazard; it is not the legal limit.
• Direction signs that show road names, destinations and distances are green with white lettering.
• Route number markers on major roads help you follow a route between towns and cities.
• Temporary roadwork signs, including reduced speed limits, are legally binding while displayed.

Signs you must obey

• Stop: come to a complete stop at the line, then give way.
• Give way: slow down and stop if needed to let traffic on the other road go first.
• No entry and one way: do not drive in the wrong direction.
• Speed limit: a red circle with a number in km/h.
• No turns and no U-turn: a red circle with a slash across the symbol means the action is banned. Keep left: a black and white sign with an arrow showing which side you must pass.

Warning and advisory signs

Yellow diamond signs warn you about what is coming: sharp bends, merging lanes, a T-intersection, a narrow bridge, children or kangaroos. Use them as an early prompt to check your speed and position.

Fatigue reminder and rest area signs on highways remind you to take regular breaks on long drives.

Reading direction and route signs

On a freeway, signs show which destinations each exit serves (in many places with an exit number) and which lane leads where, well before the exit. Read them early so you can move into the right lane calmly. If you miss your exit, continue to the next one; never stop or reverse on a freeway.

Common mistakes

• Rolling through a stop sign instead of stopping completely.
• Treating a yellow advisory speed as the legal limit or ignoring it altogether.
• Forgetting that roadwork speed limits apply even when no workers are visible, if the signs are still up.
• Reading direction signs too late and changing lanes suddenly.

Test yourself: Road signs

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Australian Road Signs Explained
• Driver Fatigue in Australia