Delaware Road Signs Practice key terms

A white rectangular regulatory sign with black numerals showing the maximum lawful speed in miles per hour under normal conditions. Driving faster is illegal even if you believe conditions allow it.

A red octagon with white letters requiring a complete halt at the stop line, crosswalk, or edge of the intersecting roadway. You must yield to traffic and pedestrians before proceeding.

A downward-pointing red-and-white triangle meaning you must slow down and give the right-of-way to traffic on the intersecting road, stopping only if necessary to avoid conflict.

An intersection where every approach has a stop sign. Vehicles proceed in the order they arrived; if two arrive at once, the one on the right goes first.

A regulatory sign, often with a white arrow on black, telling drivers which movements a lane permits, such as left turn only, straight only, or mandatory turn ahead.

A regulatory sign that prohibits leaving a vehicle at the curb or shoulder it governs, sometimes limited to certain hours or days shown on a supplementary plate.

Any sign that states a law or requirement drivers must obey, such as speed limits, stops, turns, or parking rules. Most are white rectangles with black legends, though stop and yield are exceptions.

A yellow diamond sign that alerts drivers to a change or hazard ahead, such as a curve, intersection, school, or rough pavement. It does not create a legal requirement by itself.

A yellow rectangular plate below a warning sign showing a safe recommended speed for the hazard, such as 25 mph through a sharp curve. It is advice, not a legal speed limit.

A yellow rectangular sign with a black arrow-shaped chevron used through curves and at gore areas to guide drivers along the alignment, especially where the curve is sharper than expected.

A yellow diamond or pentagon sign marking an area where children cross or walk near a school. When children are present or a flasher is active, reduced speeds and extra caution apply.

A regulatory sign showing a lower speed that applies in a school zone, often only when flashing lights are operating or during posted hours. The reduced limit is enforceable.

A yellow diamond showing a walking figure, warning that pedestrians commonly cross ahead. Drivers must watch for people and yield to them in marked or unmarked crosswalks.

A yellow diamond showing a bicycle symbol, indicating a place where cyclists cross or share the roadway. Drivers should expect bikes and give them room.

A yellow diamond with a curving arrow showing that a series of curves lies ahead. Drivers should slow before the first curve rather than braking mid-curve.

A yellow diamond with a car and skid marks warning that the pavement loses traction in rain, ice, or snow. Reduce speed and avoid abrupt braking or steering.

A sign that gives directions, distances, destinations, exits, or services rather than rules, typically green, blue, or brown. Guide signs help with navigation, not with legal obligations.

A small sign identifying a numbered highway, such as an Interstate shield, a U.S. route shield, or a state route outline. The shape and color tell you which road system the route belongs to.

A green guide sign on a freeway showing the exit number, destination, and distance to an upcoming exit. Advance signs let drivers change lanes early.

A small green sign with a number showing the distance along a route from a reference point. Mile markers help drivers report their location in an emergency.

A blue guide sign showing available facilities such as gas, food, lodging, or a hospital, often with distance. Blue indicates motorist services rather than destinations.

A brown guide sign pointing to parks, campgrounds, historic sites, or other recreational and cultural areas. Brown is reserved for these destinations.

A lane that leaves the main roadway at an exit, marked by pavement arrows and overhead or roadside signs. Drivers staying on the highway should move out of it in advance.

An orange diamond or rectangle warning of construction, maintenance, or a temporary traffic pattern ahead. Orange signals that normal rules or lanes may be changed.

A trained worker holding a paddle or sign who stops and releases traffic through a work zone. Drivers must obey the flagger's signals, which override other signs and signals.

A cone, drum, barricade, or tubular marker used to guide traffic around or away from a work area. These devices define the temporary path drivers must follow.

The system of signs, cones, barricades, and flaggers that manages traffic through a work zone. Its markings and devices take precedence over permanent ones.

The convention that a sign's outline conveys its meaning at a glance: octagon for stop, triangle for yield, diamond for warning, rectangle for regulation or guidance, and pentagon for school zones.

The convention that a sign's background color signals its purpose: red for prohibitions, yellow for warnings, orange for work zones, green for guidance, blue for services, and brown for recreation.

A high-visibility color used on signs for pedestrians, bicyclists, and school areas to draw attention quickly. It marks people-related warnings rather than general road hazards.

The portion of pavement where pedestrians cross, marked with parallel lines or a ladder pattern or left unmarked at intersections. Drivers must yield to pedestrians within it.

A solid white line across a lane showing where vehicles must halt for a stop sign, signal, or crosswalk. Stop behind the line so pedestrians and cross traffic have room.

Two solid yellow lines separating traffic moving in opposite directions, prohibiting passing across them. A broken yellow line on your side permits passing when safe.

A line along the outer edge of the travel lane. White marks the right edge and yellow marks the left edge of a divided highway, helping drivers stay in lane.

A white pavement symbol of a bicycle with chevrons, called a sharrow, showing that bicyclists and motor vehicles share the lane. It does not create a separate bike lane.

A signal that flashes red requires drivers to stop and then proceed when safe, functioning like a stop sign. At railroad crossings it means a train is approaching.

A signal that flashes yellow tells drivers to slow down and proceed with caution, functioning like a yield warning. It does not grant the right-of-way over cross traffic.

A white X-shaped sign with black letters reading RAILROAD CROSSING, marking the location where tracks cross the road. Drivers must yield to trains, which always have the right-of-way.

A yellow round sign with a black X and RR letters placed ahead of a crossing, showing the distance to the tracks. It warns drivers to slow and prepare to stop if needed.