Road Signs
How signs are organised
Belarusian signs follow the international system and are grouped by shape and colour: warning (red-bordered triangles), priority (yellow diamonds and inverted triangles), prohibitory (red circles), mandatory (blue circles), information (blue or green rectangles), service (blue rectangles with symbols), and supplementary plates (small white rectangles). The shape tells you the category before you read the symbol.
The critical distinctions
Warning signs generally stand 50–100 m before the hazard in a settlement and 150–300 m outside a settlement unless a supplementary plate states the distance. Prohibitory signs end at the next intersection, at an 'end of restriction' sign, or at a supplementary plate. The 'no stopping' sign is stricter than 'no parking': it forbids even a brief halt. The 'give way' sign (inverted triangle) requires yielding; the 'main road' sign (yellow diamond) grants priority. A sign with a supplementary plate showing a distance changes the meaning of the primary sign, so read the plate before answering.
Traps in questions
A frequent trap is the difference between 'no entry' (red circle with a white bar) and 'no vehicles' (empty red circle). Another is the 'one-way road' sign versus the 'entry to a one-way road' sign. Questions also test whether a sign applies to the whole road or only to the lane above which it is mounted. Finally, remember that a sign on the left side of the road applies to traffic in both directions unless a plate says otherwise.
Rule of thumb
Identify the shape first, then the symbol, then any supplementary plate, then the position of the sign relative to the lane. That sequence resolves almost every sign question.
Worked example
A red circle with a blue background and a white arrow pointing left means 'turn left mandatory', not 'no left turn'. The colour of the circle (blue, not red) is the deciding feature.