Traffic Signs, Signals, and Pavement Markings
Sign recognition questions reward knowing shape and color as fast as you know words. Ohio follows the national system, so learn the categories.
Shapes and colors
Octagon (red) means stop. Inverted triangle (red and white) means yield. Diamond (yellow) warns of hazards ahead. Pennant (yellow) marks no-passing zones. Rectangle (white or green) gives regulatory or guide information. Round signs warn of railroad crossings, and an X-shaped crossbuck marks the crossing itself. Orange means construction or work zone; fluorescent yellow-green marks school zones and pedestrian/bicycle warnings.
Signals
A steady red means stop and remain stopped until green. A steady yellow means the light is about to turn red; stop if you can do so safely rather than racing it. A steady green means go if the intersection is clear. A green arrow gives a protected turn. A flashing red is treated as a stop sign; a flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution. A dark or non-working signal at an intersection should be treated as an all-way stop.
Pavement markings
A solid yellow line on your side means no passing; a broken yellow line means passing is allowed when safe. Double solid yellow means no passing in either direction. White lines separate traffic moving the same direction; a solid white edge line marks the right edge. Crosswalks and stop lines are solid white. Dashed lines mean you may cross; solid lines mean stay in your lane.
Traps
Questions often swap flashing yellow (caution) with flashing red (stop), or confuse the pennant (no passing) with a warning diamond. Remember that a yellow light is not a command to speed up.
Rule of thumb
Yellow diamond = warning, red octagon = stop, orange = workers ahead, and broken lines may be crossed while solid lines may not.