Signs, signals and markings in Connecticut

By the end of this topic you can

• You can identify sign types by their shape and color.
• You can respond correctly to steady, flashing and arrow signals.
• You can read yellow and white lane lines and know when passing is allowed.
• You can recognize railroad and work zone signs and know what they require.

What you need to know and understand

• An eight-sided red sign means stop. A downward-pointing triangle means yield.
• Yellow diamonds warn of hazards ahead. A pentagon marks a school zone or crossing.
• A pennant-shaped sign marks the start of a no-passing zone.
• Orange signs mean construction and maintenance, green is guide information, blue is services and brown is parks and recreation.
• A flashing red light means stop, like a stop sign. A flashing yellow means proceed with caution.
• Yellow center lines separate traffic going in opposite directions. White lines separate lanes going the same way.
• A white crossbuck at a railroad crossing means the same as a yield sign.

Shapes and colors

• Octagon (red): stop.
• Downward triangle (red and white): yield.
• Diamond (yellow): warning of a hazard or change ahead.
• Pentagon: school zone or school crossing.
• Round (yellow): railroad crossing ahead.
• Pennant: no-passing zone begins.
• Fluorescent yellow-green: pedestrian, bicycle and school warnings.
• Orange: work zones, often with flaggers using STOP and SLOW paddles.

Reading the lights

Red means stop, green means go when it is safe, and yellow means stop if you safely can. If you are already in the intersection when it turns yellow, keep going. A red arrow bans movement in that direction, a yellow arrow warns that the arrow is ending, and a green arrow lets you turn while watching for pedestrians.

Some crossings use a HAWK pedestrian signal. When it shows flashing red, stop, then go only once the crosswalk is clear. Over reversible lanes, a red X means do not drive in that lane, a steady yellow X means move out of it safely, and a flashing yellow X means it is for turning only.

Lines on the road

• Broken yellow center line: you may pass when it is safe.
• Solid yellow center line on your side: do not pass.
• Broken yellow next to solid yellow: only the driver on the broken side may pass.
• Broken white line: you may change lanes when safe.
• Solid white line: stay in your lane. Double solid white: lane changes are prohibited.
• Diagonal yellow or white stripes: a fixed obstacle such as a bridge support.
• Shared-lane markings (sharrows): expect bicyclists in the lane.

Railroad crossings

Slow down, look and listen. Stop when the lights flash, before the gate comes down, and wait until the gate rises and the lights stop. Never drive around a lowered gate, and do not start across unless there is room on the far side. Blue Emergency Notification System signs at crossings give a phone number to report a problem, such as a car stuck on the tracks.

Common mistakes

• Treating a flashing red light like a yield. You must come to a full stop.
• Passing on a solid yellow line on your side because the road looks clear.
• Speeding up for a yellow light. Stop if you can do so safely.
• Stopping on the tracks in traffic. Wait until there is room past the crossing.

Test yourself: Signs, signals and markings in Connecticut

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

Go deeper

• Connecticut 8 Hour Safe Driving Practices Course
• CT Permit Test
• Connecticut Home Training and the 2 Hour Parent Class