California Road Signs Practice flashcards
California Road Signs Practice · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Octagon sign shape
- An eight-sided sign is used only for STOP. It means come to a complete stop at the limit line, crosswalk, or roadway edge, then proceed only when safe.
- Inverted triangle sign
- A downward-pointing triangle is used only for YIELD. Slow down, be ready to stop, and give way to cross traffic and pedestrians before entering or crossing.
- Pennant sign
- A sideways triangle (pennant) marks a No Passing Zone. It warns that passing is prohibited ahead, usually paired with a solid yellow line on your side.
- Round yellow sign
- A circular yellow sign is a railroad advance warning. It tells you tracks are ahead; slow down, look and listen, and be prepared to stop for a train.
- Crossbuck sign meaning
- A white X-shaped crossbuck marks the railroad crossing itself and means yield to trains. A small plaque below gives the number of tracks when more than one.
- Orange sign meaning
- Orange signs mark construction and maintenance zones. They warn of workers, lane shifts, and changed conditions, and work-zone speed limits are enforceable when posted.
- Fluorescent yellow-green signs
- This color marks pedestrian, bicycle, and school warnings, such as school crossing and bicycle crossing ahead. It signals a higher likelihood of people in or near the roadway.
- Blue and brown signs
- Blue signs show services such as fuel, food, and lodging. Brown signs show recreation and cultural areas, including parks, historic sites, and campgrounds.
- Steady red light
- Stop at the limit line or crosswalk. A right turn after a full stop is allowed unless a sign forbids it, and you must yield to pedestrians and cross traffic first.
- Steady yellow light
- The signal is changing to red. Stop if you can do so safely; if you are too close to stop safely, proceed through the intersection without speeding up.
- Flashing red light
- Treat a flashing red as a stop sign: come to a complete stop, then proceed when the way is clear. At a four-way flash, proceed in order of arrival.
- Flashing yellow light
- Slow down and proceed with caution; no stop is required. It often marks a hazard or a side road entering a major road where you have the right-of-way.
- Green arrow signal
- A green arrow gives a protected movement in the arrow's direction; oncoming traffic is stopped. When the arrow ends and a circular green remains, the turn is no longer protected.
- Red arrow signal
- A red arrow prohibits movement in that direction. Unlike a circular red, a left turn on a red arrow is not permitted even after stopping.
- Dark traffic signal
- A signal that is completely dark is treated as an all-way stop. Stop, then proceed in order of arrival, yielding to the vehicle on your right if you arrive together.
- Flashing pedestrian hand
- A flashing DON'T WALK hand means do not start crossing; pedestrians already in the crosswalk should finish. A steady hand means stay out of the crosswalk entirely.
- Overhead red X signal
- A red X above a lane means that lane is closed to all traffic. A green arrow means the lane is open; a yellow X warns the lane is about to close.
- Left turn yield on green
- A circular green does not protect a left turn. You must wait for a safe gap in oncoming traffic and yield to vehicles going straight or turning right.
- Yellow center lines
- Yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions. Broken yellow on your side permits passing when safe; solid yellow on your side prohibits crossing or passing.
- Double solid yellow line
- Two solid yellow lines mean neither direction may cross to pass. You may still cross to turn into or out of a driveway or side road where legal.
- Two-way left-turn lane
- Bounded by solid yellow outside and broken yellow inside, this center lane is only for left turns from either direction. It is not a travel or passing lane.
- White lane lines
- White lines separate traffic moving the same direction. Broken white permits a lane change when safe; solid white discourages or prohibits lane changes near intersections and ramps.
- Edge line colors
- A solid white edge line marks the right edge of the roadway. A solid yellow edge line marks the left edge of a divided highway or one-way road.
- Stop line marking
- A wide solid white bar across your lane marks where to stop for a sign or signal. It sits before the crosswalk, so stopping on it blocks pedestrians.
- Crosswalk markings
- Crosswalks are marked by two parallel white lines or by a series of wide white bars. An unmarked crosswalk still exists at an intersection where sidewalks meet the road.
- Painted median markings
- Yellow diagonal stripes bordered by solid lines mark a painted island or median. Vehicles may not drive across or stop in this area; it separates opposing traffic flows.
- Uncontrolled intersection order
- Where no sign or signal controls the intersection, the first vehicle to arrive goes first. If two arrive together, the one on the right has the right-of-way.
- Left turn right-of-way
- A vehicle turning left must yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right. Wait for a safe gap before completing the turn.
- Entering from driveway
- When entering a road from a driveway, alley, or parking lot, you must yield to all traffic already on the road and to pedestrians on the sidewalk.
- Three-second following rule
- Watch the vehicle ahead pass a fixed object, then count three seconds before you reach it. Increase the gap in rain, at night, or when being tailgated.
- School bus red lights
- On a two-lane road, traffic both ways must stop for a school bus showing flashing red lights and a stop arm. On a divided highway, only traffic behind the bus must stop.
- Approaching emergency vehicle
- When you see flashing lights or hear a siren, pull to the right edge and stop until it passes. If you are in an intersection, clear it first, then pull over.