Regulatory Signs
Regulatory Signs are the signs that give direct orders. On the Montana knowledge test, this domain checks whether you can identify a regulatory sign, state what action it requires, and apply it at intersections, in parking areas, and in lane-use situations. The default color scheme is white background with black legend; red is added for prohibitions such as STOP, YIELD, or a circle with a slash.
Core rules
- A STOP sign is an octagon. Stop completely at the stop line, before the crosswalk, or at the edge of the roadway if no line is marked. Yield to pedestrians and cross traffic before proceeding.
- At an all-way stop, the first vehicle to arrive goes first. If two arrive together, the vehicle on the left yields to the vehicle on the right.
- A YIELD sign is an inverted triangle. Slow down and stop only if necessary to let traffic or pedestrians go.
- Speed limit signs begin at the sign and remain in effect until another limit is posted or the limit ends. They are not suggestions.
- Lane-use and turn signs control which lane you may use and when you may turn. A 'No Turn on Red' plaque overrides the general rule that allows a right turn after a full stop.
Worked example
You approach a red light in a lane marked by a right-turn arrow. A sign beside the signal reads 'NO TURN ON RED.' You want to turn right. Reasoning: the arrow permits the turn direction, but the plaque prohibits the turn while the signal is red. Stop, wait for green, yield to pedestrians, and turn into the nearest legal lane. If the plaque were absent, Montana generally allows a right turn after a complete stop unless a sign prohibits it.
Traps
A rolling stop is a fail. Stopping beyond the line or in the crosswalk is also a fail. Do not treat YIELD as a sign that always requires a full stop; it requires yielding. Read plaques and supplemental signs, because they change the main sign's meaning. Do not assume a green light cancels a 'No Turn on Red' sign.