Road Signs, Signals and Markings
The three sign families
Regulatory signs give orders and must be obeyed; they include stop, give way, speed limits and no-entry signs. Warning signs alert you to hazards ahead, such as curves, wildlife or intersections. Information signs guide and inform, including route markers and service signs. Learn the shapes and colours: octagons for stop, triangles for give way and warnings, circles for orders, and rectangles for information.
Lines and markings
Solid centre lines mean do not cross; broken lines may be crossed when safe. Double lines with one solid and one broken mean only the side beside the broken line may cross. Edge lines mark the road edge, and painted islands or chevron markings should not be driven over. Stop lines and give-way lines tell you where to halt or yield, and pedestrian crossings are marked to protect foot traffic.
Traffic signals and signs from controllers
Obey red, yellow and green signals, and remember that a yellow light means stop unless it is unsafe to do so, not accelerate. Traffic controller signs and hand signals override permanent signs and signals, so a slow bat or stop bat must be obeyed even if the light shows green.
Traps to watch for
Questions mix up warning and regulatory signs, or ask what a sign requires rather than what it suggests. Another trap is the yellow light: it is a stop instruction, not a hurry-up. Watch for questions about broken versus solid lines, where the correct answer depends on which side of the line you are on.
Rule of thumb
Ask three questions of any sign: what shape and colour, what does it order or warn, and where exactly must I stop or yield?