Traffic Signs, Signals and Road Markings
Core concepts
Victorian signage follows shape and colour conventions. Regulatory signs are generally circular (speed limits) or rectangular with red borders (stop, give way); warning signs are yellow diamonds; guide and information signs are green or blue. Learn the standard warning symbols - curve, crest, slippery surface, pedestrian crossing, railway crossing - and the difference between a railway crossing with flashing lights and one with boom gates.
Lines and markings
Solid centre lines mean no crossing; broken lines may be crossed when safe. A double solid line is the strictest restriction. Edge lines mark the road edge; painted islands and chevron markings must not be driven on. Stop lines are solid white and require a complete stop; give-way lines are broken. Know the meaning of yellow "no stopping" lines versus broken yellow lines. Traffic light sequences and the meaning of a flashing yellow circle (proceed with caution) and a red arrow must be automatic.
Traps
Questions frequently test the distinction between a warning sign and a regulatory one, or between a stop line and a give-way line. Another common trap is the painted traffic island - candidates assume it is drivable. Watch for signs that modify a general rule: a 40 km/h school zone sign applies only at the times shown, and a "left turn on red permitted after stopping" sign is an exception, not the rule.
Rule of thumb
Read a sign in this order: shape, then colour, then symbol, then any supplementary plate. The plate often changes everything.