Sign Colors, Shapes, and Symbols
Sign Colors, Shapes, and Symbols
Most sign questions can be answered from color and shape alone, so learn these first. The exam mixes single-sign recognition with "what shape would you expect for..." items.
Colors
- Red - stop, yield, prohibition (circle with a slash, DO NOT ENTER, WRONG WAY).
- White - regulatory: speed limits, turn rules, lane use.
- Yellow - warning of a condition ahead.
- Orange - construction and maintenance.
- Green - guide: destinations, distances, exits.
- Blue - motorist services and information.
- Brown - recreation and cultural areas.
- Fluorescent yellow-green - school and pedestrian warnings.
- Pink - incident management; purple - electronic toll lanes.
Shapes
- Octagon - STOP only.
- Inverted triangle - YIELD only.
- Diamond - warning.
- Horizontal rectangle - guide or regulatory, depending on color.
- Vertical rectangle - regulatory, such as a speed limit.
- Pennant - NO PASSING ZONE, placed on the left side of your lane.
- Circle - railroad advance warning.
- Crossbuck (X) - the railroad crossing itself.
- Pentagon - school.
- Trapezoid - recreation area.
Worked example
A sign is yellow, pennant-shaped, and reads "NO PASSING ZONE." Color and shape both say warning; the pennant specifically marks the start of a no-passing zone, and seeing it on your left confirms the meaning. Passing stays prohibited until the zone ends.
Traps
Mistaking the round yellow railroad advance sign for the crossbuck at the tracks; looking for fuel on a brown sign; and expecting a yellow diamond to mean "stop" on its own.