Michigan Road Signs Practice cheat sheet

Regulatory signs are rectangular with a white background and black legend, or red/white for prohibitions such as STOP and YIELD; they state a legal requirement, not a suggestion.

STOP sign (red octagon, white letters): a full stop is required at the marked stop line; if no line exists, stop before entering the crosswalk, and if no crosswalk, before entering the intersection.

YIELD sign (red-and-white downward triangle): slow down and give the right-of-way to traffic on the intersecting road; stop only if needed to avoid conflict.

Speed limit signs are white rectangles with black numerals; a black-and-white 'END' or 'SPEED LIMIT' numeral marks where the posted limit begins or ends, not a recommended speed.

A red circle with a diagonal slash means the maneuver or vehicle type is prohibited; a green circle means it is permitted; a yellow circle warns of a condition ahead.

One-way signs (black arrow on white) and DO NOT ENTER signs (red circle with white bar) work together at intersections; entering against a DO NOT ENTER is a violation.

Regulatory signs take precedence over warning and guide signs when they conflict; a posted restriction overrides a general default rule such as the basic speed law.

Lane-use control signs (turn-only arrows, HOV diamond, bus-only) are regulatory; a white diamond on a sign or pavement marks a high-occupancy vehicle lane with posted occupancy requirements.

Warning signs are diamond-shaped with a yellow background and black legend; they alert to a condition ahead and do not by themselves change the speed limit.

Curve warnings: a yellow diamond with a right- or left-curving arrow marks a turn or curve; an advisory speed plaque below (yellow, black numerals) is the recommended maximum, below the legal limit.

Intersection warnings: a yellow diamond with a crossroad symbol warns of an intersection ahead; a side-road symbol shows traffic entering from the right or left.

Stop-ahead and yield-ahead signs (yellow diamond with a red octagon or triangle symbol) warn that a STOP or YIELD control is ahead on the road you are traveling.

Pedestrian, bicycle, and animal warnings use yellow diamonds with a symbol; deer-crossing signs mark areas of known deer movement and call for reduced speed, especially at dawn and dusk.

Chevron alignment signs (large white arrow on black or yellow) and one-direction large arrow signs mark sharp changes in alignment; they supplement, not replace, the curve warning.

Railroad advance warning (yellow round sign with an X and two R's) precedes a crossing; a crossbuck marks the crossing itself, and flashing red lights or gates require a stop.

Hill, slippery-when-wet, and winding-road warnings describe conditions, not requirements; reduce speed before reaching the condition rather than inside it.

Guide signs are typically green with white letters for destinations and distances, blue for services (gas, food, lodging, hospital), and brown for recreation and points of interest.

Interstate route markers are red, white, and blue shields; even-numbered interstates generally run east-west and odd-numbered ones north-south, with numbers increasing from south to north and west to east.

Mile markers and exit numbers on interstates are based on mileposts measured from the state line or route origin; exit numbers increase in the direction of increasing mileposts.

A white rectangular sign with black letters and an arrow gives lane-assignment information at intersections; overhead lane signs assign each lane to a destination or turn.

Service signs (blue) list fuel, food, lodging, camping, and hospital availability at an upcoming exit; they do not indicate the services are free or open at all hours.

Object markers and delineators (white or yellow reflectors, striped panels) mark obstructions and road edges; they are guidance devices, not regulatory controls.

A 'BEGIN' or 'END' plaque on a route marker indicates where a designated route or special zone starts or stops; the plaque itself carries no speed or lane requirement.

Steady red: stop before the stop line or crosswalk and remain stopped until green; a right turn on red is permitted after a full stop unless a sign prohibits it, and left on red is allowed only from a one-way onto a one-way.

Flashing red is treated as a STOP sign; flashing yellow means proceed with caution; a steady yellow means the signal is changing to red and you should stop if you can do so safely.

A dark or non-functioning signal is treated as an all-way stop unless an officer or temporary sign directs otherwise.

Green arrow: protected movement in the arrow direction; a green circle permits all movements but through traffic and turning traffic must yield appropriately.

Solid white lines separate lanes of same-direction traffic and mark the right edge; crossing a solid white line is discouraged, and a solid white stop line marks where to stop at a signal or sign.

Yellow center lines separate opposing traffic: a solid yellow line on your side means no passing; a broken yellow line on your side permits passing when safe; double solid yellow means no passing in either direction.

Solid white diagonal lines or chevron markings indicate a gore area or painted median that vehicles must not enter or cross.

Crosswalk markings (two parallel white lines or a ladder pattern) define where pedestrians cross; drivers must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, marked or unmarked, at an intersection.

Work zone signs are orange diamonds with black legends; they warn of construction, maintenance, or utility work and take priority over normal warning signs in the area.

Channelizing devices (cones, drums, barricades, tubular markers) define the travel path; a barricade with a striped panel and flashing lights closes a lane or road entirely.

A flagger's signal overrides signs and signals: a flagger's STOP paddle or raised hand means stop, and a slow paddle or arm motion means proceed slowly with caution.

Temporary traffic signals and lane-shift arrows (arrow boards) in work zones are regulatory in effect; obey them even when they conflict with the permanent markings.

Reduced speed limits posted in work zones are enforceable when posted, whether or not workers are present, unless the sign states the limit applies only when workers are present.

Fines are commonly doubled for moving violations in work zones; the posted work-zone speed limit applies from the first sign to the end-of-work-zone sign.

The end-of-work-zone sign (orange with 'END ROAD WORK') marks where normal speed limits and markings resume; do not resume speed before reaching it.

Lane-closure signs use a yellow or orange diamond with a lane symbol and a merge arrow; merge early into the open lane rather than late merging at the taper if the sign directs it.

School zone signs are fluorescent yellow-green pentagons or diamonds showing children walking; a posted school speed limit applies during the times or when the flashing beacon is active, as stated on the sign.

School crossing signs (fluorescent yellow-green with a pedestrian symbol) mark where children cross; drivers must yield to a pedestrian in the crossing and stop when a crossing guard displays a stop paddle.

School bus warning: a stopped school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm requires traffic in both directions to stop on an undivided road; on a divided highway, only traffic behind the bus must stop.

A school bus displaying flashing yellow lights is preparing to stop; slow down and be ready to stop, and do not pass until the red lights are off and the arm is retracted.

Pedestrian crossing signs and in-street pedestrian crossing signs (yellow-green with a walking symbol) require yielding to pedestrians in the crossing; passing a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk is prohibited.

A crossing guard's stop paddle has the same effect as a STOP sign; remain stopped until the guard lowers the paddle and signals traffic to proceed.

School zone speed limits are typically 15-25 mph and are lower than the surrounding limit; the reduced limit ends at the end-of-school-zone sign or when the beacon stops flashing, per the sign's wording.

Sidewalk and trail crossings: a pedestrian hybrid beacon (HAWK) displays a red light to traffic after a flashing yellow; a steady red means stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian clears the crossing.

Regulatory signs are rectangular with a white background and black legend, or red/white for prohibitions such as STOP and YIELD; they state a legal requirement, not a suggestion.

STOP sign (red octagon, white letters): a full stop is required at the marked stop line; if no line exists, stop before entering the crosswalk, and if no crosswalk, before entering the intersection.

YIELD sign (red-and-white downward triangle): slow down and give the right-of-way to traffic on the intersecting road; stop only if needed to avoid conflict.

Speed limit signs are white rectangles with black numerals; a black-and-white 'END' or 'SPEED LIMIT' numeral marks where the posted limit begins or ends, not a recommended speed.

A red circle with a diagonal slash means the maneuver or vehicle type is prohibited; a green circle means it is permitted; a yellow circle warns of a condition ahead.

One-way signs (black arrow on white) and DO NOT ENTER signs (red circle with white bar) work together at intersections; entering against a DO NOT ENTER is a violation.

Regulatory signs take precedence over warning and guide signs when they conflict; a posted restriction overrides a general default rule such as the basic speed law.

Lane-use control signs (turn-only arrows, HOV diamond, bus-only) are regulatory; a white diamond on a sign or pavement marks a high-occupancy vehicle lane with posted occupancy requirements.

Warning signs are diamond-shaped with a yellow background and black legend; they alert to a condition ahead and do not by themselves change the speed limit.

Curve warnings: a yellow diamond with a right- or left-curving arrow marks a turn or curve; an advisory speed plaque below (yellow, black numerals) is the recommended maximum, below the legal limit.

Intersection warnings: a yellow diamond with a crossroad symbol warns of an intersection ahead; a side-road symbol shows traffic entering from the right or left.

Stop-ahead and yield-ahead signs (yellow diamond with a red octagon or triangle symbol) warn that a STOP or YIELD control is ahead on the road you are traveling.

Pedestrian, bicycle, and animal warnings use yellow diamonds with a symbol; deer-crossing signs mark areas of known deer movement and call for reduced speed, especially at dawn and dusk.

Chevron alignment signs (large white arrow on black or yellow) and one-direction large arrow signs mark sharp changes in alignment; they supplement, not replace, the curve warning.

Railroad advance warning (yellow round sign with an X and two R's) precedes a crossing; a crossbuck marks the crossing itself, and flashing red lights or gates require a stop.

Hill, slippery-when-wet, and winding-road warnings describe conditions, not requirements; reduce speed before reaching the condition rather than inside it.

Guide signs are typically green with white letters for destinations and distances, blue for services (gas, food, lodging, hospital), and brown for recreation and points of interest.

Interstate route markers are red, white, and blue shields; even-numbered interstates generally run east-west and odd-numbered ones north-south, with numbers increasing from south to north and west to east.

Mile markers and exit numbers on interstates are based on mileposts measured from the state line or route origin; exit numbers increase in the direction of increasing mileposts.

A white rectangular sign with black letters and an arrow gives lane-assignment information at intersections; overhead lane signs assign each lane to a destination or turn.

Service signs (blue) list fuel, food, lodging, camping, and hospital availability at an upcoming exit; they do not indicate the services are free or open at all hours.

Object markers and delineators (white or yellow reflectors, striped panels) mark obstructions and road edges; they are guidance devices, not regulatory controls.

A 'BEGIN' or 'END' plaque on a route marker indicates where a designated route or special zone starts or stops; the plaque itself carries no speed or lane requirement.

Steady red: stop before the stop line or crosswalk and remain stopped until green; a right turn on red is permitted after a full stop unless a sign prohibits it, and left on red is allowed only from a one-way onto a one-way.

Flashing red is treated as a STOP sign; flashing yellow means proceed with caution; a steady yellow means the signal is changing to red and you should stop if you can do so safely.

A dark or non-functioning signal is treated as an all-way stop unless an officer or temporary sign directs otherwise.

Green arrow: protected movement in the arrow direction; a green circle permits all movements but through traffic and turning traffic must yield appropriately.

Solid white lines separate lanes of same-direction traffic and mark the right edge; crossing a solid white line is discouraged, and a solid white stop line marks where to stop at a signal or sign.

Yellow center lines separate opposing traffic: a solid yellow line on your side means no passing; a broken yellow line on your side permits passing when safe; double solid yellow means no passing in either direction.

Solid white diagonal lines or chevron markings indicate a gore area or painted median that vehicles must not enter or cross.

Crosswalk markings (two parallel white lines or a ladder pattern) define where pedestrians cross; drivers must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, marked or unmarked, at an intersection.

Work zone signs are orange diamonds with black legends; they warn of construction, maintenance, or utility work and take priority over normal warning signs in the area.

Channelizing devices (cones, drums, barricades, tubular markers) define the travel path; a barricade with a striped panel and flashing lights closes a lane or road entirely.

A flagger's signal overrides signs and signals: a flagger's STOP paddle or raised hand means stop, and a slow paddle or arm motion means proceed slowly with caution.

Temporary traffic signals and lane-shift arrows (arrow boards) in work zones are regulatory in effect; obey them even when they conflict with the permanent markings.

Reduced speed limits posted in work zones are enforceable when posted, whether or not workers are present, unless the sign states the limit applies only when workers are present.

Fines are commonly doubled for moving violations in work zones; the posted work-zone speed limit applies from the first sign to the end-of-work-zone sign.

The end-of-work-zone sign (orange with 'END ROAD WORK') marks where normal speed limits and markings resume; do not resume speed before reaching it.

Lane-closure signs use a yellow or orange diamond with a lane symbol and a merge arrow; merge early into the open lane rather than late merging at the taper if the sign directs it.

School zone signs are fluorescent yellow-green pentagons or diamonds showing children walking; a posted school speed limit applies during the times or when the flashing beacon is active, as stated on the sign.

School crossing signs (fluorescent yellow-green with a pedestrian symbol) mark where children cross; drivers must yield to a pedestrian in the crossing and stop when a crossing guard displays a stop paddle.

School bus warning: a stopped school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm requires traffic in both directions to stop on an undivided road; on a divided highway, only traffic behind the bus must stop.

A school bus displaying flashing yellow lights is preparing to stop; slow down and be ready to stop, and do not pass until the red lights are off and the arm is retracted.

Pedestrian crossing signs and in-street pedestrian crossing signs (yellow-green with a walking symbol) require yielding to pedestrians in the crossing; passing a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk is prohibited.

A crossing guard's stop paddle has the same effect as a STOP sign; remain stopped until the guard lowers the paddle and signals traffic to proceed.

School zone speed limits are typically 15-25 mph and are lower than the surrounding limit; the reduced limit ends at the end-of-school-zone sign or when the beacon stops flashing, per the sign's wording.

Sidewalk and trail crossings: a pedestrian hybrid beacon (HAWK) displays a red light to traffic after a flashing yellow; a steady red means stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian clears the crossing.