Road Markings and Road Signs
Core concepts
Signs and markings are the language of the road, and the test checks that you read them quickly and correctly. Learn the three sign families by shape: regulatory signs (circles and rectangles) give orders such as stop, give way, or speed limits; warning signs (triangles) alert you to hazards ahead; and information signs (rectangles and squares) guide you. Know the stop sign versus the give-way sign, the meaning of regulatory prohibitions with a red slash, and the difference between a warning of a hazard and a rule you must obey. For markings, understand solid versus broken centre lines, edge lines, stop lines, give-way lines, hatched areas, and yellow no-stopping lines. Know what a broken line permits and what a solid line forbids, and how arrows and lane markings direct traffic at intersections.
Traps in questions
Examiners like signs that look similar: a warning triangle showing a curve versus a regulatory sign limiting speed, or a no-entry sign versus a one-way sign. Another trap is a marking that changes meaning by context, such as a solid line you may cross only to enter a property, or a bus lane with restricted hours. Read the whole question for time of day and vehicle type. Do not assume a sign applies only to others; if it is a regulatory sign, it applies to you.
Worked example
You see a red-bordered circle with the number 60 and, further on, a yellow diamond warning sign showing a winding road. The circle is a regulatory speed limit of 60; the diamond warns of curves ahead but does not change the limit. Rule of thumb: circle means you must, triangle means be ready, rectangle means you are being guided.