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If an Illinois traffic signal is not working, treat the intersection as an all-way stop unless police direct you otherwise. Beyond that, the Illinois written exam asks you to identify signs, signals and pavement markings, so it pays to learn the Illinois-specific rules for arrows, lane signals, lines and the signs below. This guide uses Chapters 9 and 10 of the 2026 Illinois Rules of the Road.
Key facts (Illinois Secretary of State)
- Signal out: treat it as an all-way stop unless police direct you otherwise.
- Red arrow: wait for the green arrow, with two exceptions after a complete stop and yielding (a right turn, and a left turn from a one-way street onto a one-way street moving left).
- Never drive under a red X over an expressway lane.
- Crossing a double solid white line is prohibited.
- The written exam asks you to identify signs.
Illinois signals and pavement markings
- Signal not working: treat it as an all-way stop unless police direct you otherwise. Never leave the road to get around a signal.
- Red arrow: wait for the green arrow, with two Illinois exceptions after a complete stop and yielding: a right turn, and a left turn from a one-way street onto a one-way street moving left.
- Flashing yellow arrow: turn after yielding to pedestrians and vehicles. A steady yellow arrow means the green arrow is ending or the light is about to turn red.
- Green arrow: up means straight ahead only; left or right means you may turn that way.
- Lane signals over expressways: never drive under a red X. A yellow X means leave the lane safely before it turns red. A flashing yellow arrow means the lane may be used to approach and make a left turn. A green arrow means you may use the lane, obeying other signs and signals.
- Pedestrian signals: a walking person means cross; a flashing orange hand means do not start, but finish if already crossing; a steady orange hand means do not enter.
- White lines: cross a broken line only to change lanes or turn. Crossing a solid line takes special care and is discouraged. Crossing a double solid line is prohibited. A stop line is usually 4 feet before the crosswalk in an urban area, and no part of your car may cross it.
- Yellow lines: you may cross a double solid center line to turn left into or out of an alley, private road, driveway or street. A solid yellow no-passing line on your side may be crossed to finish a pass you began before the zone, or to turn left into or out of an alley, private road or driveway.
- Other markings: diagonal stripes mark fixed obstructions; solid lines may steer traffic around a hazard; local authorities may mark curbs and fire lanes as no parking.
For the national basics, see traffic signals in the US, US pavement markings and right on red.
Roadway signs (Chapter 9)
Chapter 9 covers roadway signs, and you will be asked to identify them on the written exam. Shapes and colors are in US road signs by shape and color. The handbook also shows the signs below, which that guide does not spell out. This table describes them in words only, so compare each one with its picture in Chapter 9 of the official Rules of the Road before your test:
| Sign | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| ALL-WAY, 3-WAY or 5-WAY under a STOP sign | Every approach stops. First to stop goes first. |
| Handheld or temporary STOP sign | Treat a temporary one like a permanent STOP sign. For a handheld one, wait for the guard or flagger to signal you. |
| SPEED ZONE AHEAD | The limit is about to change, so be ready to adjust. |
| Minimum speed on a speed limit sign | Going slower than the minimum is illegal unless safety requires it. |
| No U-turn, no right turn, no left turn | That move is banned. Median openings on divided roads are for police, ambulances, plows and other authorized vehicles. |
| No turn on red | No right on red, and no left on red between one-way streets. It may show a red circle instead of the word. |
| Two-way left turn lane signs | The center lane is shared for left turns in both directions. |
| Approaching a divided highway | A median splits the road you are about to cross or join. |
| KEEP RIGHT; SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT | Pass an island or median on the side of the arrow; if you are slower than traffic on a multilane road, use the right lane. |
| STOP HERE ON RED | Shows where to stop when the signal’s stopping point is not clear. |
| ROAD CLOSED | Closed to all traffic. You may not go on. |
| DO NOT PASS; PASS WITH CARE | The no-passing stretch and where it ends. After that, pass only when safe. |
| Bike lane | A lane for bicyclists, marked by a solid white line that turns dotted before the corner, sometimes painted bright green. |
| Pedestrian crosswalk, sometimes with a flashing beacon | A crossing that may be away from an intersection. Watch both sides of the street. |
| Truck, bicycle, wheelchair and snowmobile crossings | Those users may cross ahead. |
| School signs with AHEAD or a downward arrow; SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 20 | A school crossing ahead or right here; the speed sign applies when children are present or when its light flashes. |
| STOP AHEAD, YIELD AHEAD, SIGNAL AHEAD | Start slowing now, even if you cannot see it yet. |
| Crossroad, side road, T and Y intersection | A junction is ahead, and a turn may be required. |
| Turn, curve and winding road arrows, with a speed plaque; exit ramp speed | The arrow shows the road’s shape. The plaque gives the maximum safe speed. |
| Downgrade; narrow bridge; road narrows | Slow before a long or steep hill; expect a bridge narrower than the road, or a two-lane road that suddenly narrows. |
| Lane reduction | Merge early in light traffic. In dense, slow traffic, use both lanes up to the merge point and take turns (a zipper merge). |
| Merge | Two lanes become one: change lanes or let others in. On an expressway, slow to let the driver on the ramp merge. |
| Change in direction (large arrow signs) | A sharp curve or a narrowing, such as the approach to a narrow bridge. |
| Divided highway begins, divided highway ends, two-way roadway | A median starts or stops. Take care at the end, where traffic comes toward you with nothing between. |
| Workers ahead; cones, drums, barricades, vertical panels | Follow the marked path, keep to the posted work zone limit and stay clear of barriers. |
| Warning lights, arrow boards, flagger | A lane closes or a merge is coming. Slow down, and stop if the flagger signals. |
| Portable changeable message signs | Live traffic, closures, detours or lane instructions. Follow them. |
| Slow-moving vehicle triangle; reserved disability parking | Slow down and pass only when safe and legal; the parking space needs a disability plate or placard, or a qualifying Veteran plate. |
| Route markers and other guide signs | Interstate, US and Illinois route markers with direction, junction and TO plaques; green exit, mile and community signs; brown recreation signs; blue rest area signs; an orange detour sign. |
| Hazardous materials placards on trucks | They show what is being carried. At a crash, follow responders’ directions. If none are there, avoid the area and report it from somewhere safe, and get medical help if you feel ill later. |
Common questions
What do I do at a broken traffic light in Illinois?
Treat it as an all-way stop unless police direct you otherwise. Never leave the road to get around a signal.
Can I turn on a red arrow in Illinois?
Wait for the green arrow, with two Illinois exceptions after a complete stop and yielding: a right turn, and a left turn from a one-way street onto a one-way street moving left.
What does a red X over a lane mean?
Never drive under a red X. A yellow X means leave the lane safely before it turns red.
What does a flashing orange hand mean?
Do not start crossing, but finish if you are already crossing. A steady orange hand means do not enter.
Are there sign questions on the Illinois written test?
Yes. You will be asked to identify signs on the written exam. Practice with the Illinois permit test guide and the Illinois permit practice test.
Back to the main guide: how to get a driver’s license in Illinois. Related reading: the Illinois permit test, the Illinois road test and four-way stops explained.
Sources
- Illinois Secretary of State, “2026 Illinois Rules of the Road” (DSD A 112, July 2026), Chapter 9 (roadway signs) and Chapter 10 (traffic signals, arrows, pedestrian and lane signals, pavement markings) (ilsos.gov)