Sign shapes and colours

By the end of this topic you can

• You can name the sign shapes reserved for STOP, YIELD, railroad, school and no-passing signs.
• You can say what each main sign color is used for.
• You can tell regulatory, warning and guide signs apart at a glance.
• You can react correctly to a sign you recognize only by its shape.

What you need to know and understand

• Octagon (eight sides): used only for STOP.
• Downward-pointing triangle: used only for YIELD.
• Circle: used for the railroad crossing advance warning sign.
• Pennant (sideways triangle): used for the no-passing zone sign.
• Pentagon (five sides, point up): school advance warning signs, and county route markers.
• Crossbuck (an X shape): marks a railroad crossing.
• Diamond: warning signs. Rectangle: regulatory, guide and some warning signs. Trapezoid: recreation and cultural interest signs and national forest route markers.

What the colors mean

• Red: stop, yield and prohibition, such as DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY.
• White background with black letters: regulatory signs such as speed limits.
• Yellow: general warnings about hazards ahead.
• Fluorescent yellow-green: pedestrian, bicycle and school warnings.
• Orange: temporary traffic control, such as work zones.
• Fluorescent pink: incident management, such as crash scenes.
• Green: guide signs showing directions and distances.
• Blue: motorist services such as gas, food, lodging and hospitals.
• Brown: recreational, historic and cultural sites such as parks.

Three families of signs

Regulatory signs tell you what the law requires, such as STOP, speed limits and turn rules. You must obey them. Warning signs tell you about a hazard or change ahead that you might not otherwise see, such as a curve or a merge. Guide signs show routes, destinations, distances, services and places of interest.

A sign's family is often clear from its shape and color together. A yellow diamond is almost always a warning. A white rectangle is usually a rule. A green rectangle is usually guidance.

Why some shapes are unique

STOP and YIELD have shapes that no other sign uses, so drivers coming from any direction can recognize them even from behind or when covered in snow. Likewise, the round railroad sign and the crossbuck are kept only for railroad crossings, so a round yellow sign always means a train crossing is ahead.

Common mistakes

• Treating orange signs like ordinary yellow warnings. Orange means a work zone, where special rules and higher fines may apply.
• Mixing up the pennant and the yield triangle. The pennant points sideways and warns of a no-passing zone.
• Ignoring a warning sign because it is not a rule. Warning signs show real hazards; slow down.
• Missing fluorescent yellow-green signs near schools and crossings. Watch for children and cyclists.

Test yourself: Sign shapes and colours

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