Louisiana Road Signs Practice cheat sheet

Regulatory signs control traffic and are usually white background with black legend and border; red is reserved for STOP, YIELD, DO NOT ENTER, and WRONG WAY.

Warning signs alert to hazards ahead: yellow diamond (or yellow pentagon for school zones/crossings) with black symbols; advisory speed plaques are yellow with black text.

Guide signs give route and destination information: green for conventional highways, blue for services (gas, food, lodging, hospital), brown for recreation and cultural areas.

STOP means a full stop at the stop line, crosswalk, or edge of the intersecting roadway before proceeding; rolling stops are violations.

YIELD requires slowing and giving right-of-way; stop only if necessary. A yield sign does not require a complete stop when the way is clear.

A pennant-shaped yellow sign marks a no-passing zone; a round yellow sign with a black X and RR marks a railroad crossing ahead.

Orange signs indicate construction or maintenance zones; motorists must obey flaggers and posted temporary speed limits.

Flashing yellow on a school speed limit sign means the reduced limit is in effect; the limit applies only when the signal is flashing or as posted.

A white rectangular sign with black text such as SPEED LIMIT or ONE WAY is regulatory; a red circle with a slash means the action is prohibited.

Steady red: stop before the stop line or crosswalk; turn right after stopping unless a NO TURN ON RED sign is posted, and turn left from a one-way onto a one-way after stopping where permitted.

Flashing red is treated as a STOP sign; flashing yellow means proceed with caution after yielding to cross traffic and pedestrians.

A steady yellow signal means the light is changing to red; stop if it can be done safely, otherwise clear the intersection.

A green arrow gives a protected turn in the direction of the arrow; opposing traffic is stopped, but pedestrians in the crosswalk still have priority.

Dark (unlit) signals or a signal in flashing mode must be treated as a stop-controlled or yield situation per posted signs; a nonfunctioning signal defaults to right-of-way rules.

Solid white lines separate traffic moving in the same direction and mark the right edge; crossing a solid white line is discouraged and often restricted.

Double solid yellow lines mean no passing in either direction; a single broken yellow line permits passing when safe and the way ahead is clear.

Broken white lane lines may be crossed for lane changes when safe; a solid yellow line on your side of a broken line means no passing from your lane.

Crosswalk markings, stop lines, and diagonal or chevron hatch marks indicate areas where driving, stopping, or parking is prohibited.

At an uncontrolled intersection, yield to the vehicle already in the intersection; if two arrive at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.

A vehicle turning left must yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right, and to pedestrians in the crosswalk.

Drivers must yield to pedestrians in a marked crosswalk or when a pedestrian is crossing at an unmarked intersection; pedestrians in the roadway outside a crosswalk must still be avoided.

Emergency vehicles with lights and siren have right-of-way; pull to the right edge and stop until they pass.

When two vehicles meet on a narrow hill or grade where passing is unsafe, the vehicle going downhill yields to the vehicle going uphill.

Louisiana law requires safety belts for the driver and all passengers, and children under 13 must be properly restrained in the rear seat where available.

Following distance: use the three-second rule in good conditions; increase to four or more seconds in rain, at night, or behind large trucks.

Passing is prohibited on hills, curves, at railroad crossings, and within marked no-passing zones; pass only when the broken line is on your side.

Roundabouts: yield to traffic already circulating, enter to the right, and use the correct lane for your exit; do not stop inside the circle.

A learner's permit may be issued at age 15; the applicant must pass a written knowledge test and vision screening and be enrolled in or have completed a driver education course.

A first driver's license is generally available at age 16 after holding a learner's permit for the required period and completing supervised driving hours.

The knowledge test covers road signs, traffic signals, and Louisiana driving laws; a passing score is required before the road skills test.

Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to sign consent and certify supervised driving; applicants 18 and older may apply without that consent.

Required documents typically include proof of identity, proof of Louisiana residency, Social Security number, and proof of lawful presence; names must match across documents.

The vision standard is generally 20/40 in each eye with or without correction, with a wider field-of-view requirement; failing requires an eye exam.

The road skills test evaluates observation, signaling, lane position, speed control, turning, parking, and intersection handling in a properly insured, registered vehicle.

Licenses for drivers under 21 are marked vertically and show a distinctive design; Louisiana uses a graduated licensing system with nighttime and passenger restrictions for young drivers.

A change of address must be reported to the OMV within a set period, and licenses must be renewed before expiration; a written and vision test may be required after certain lapses.