Warning Signs
Warning Signs are yellow diamonds with black symbols or legends. They alert you to a change in alignment, traffic pattern, or surface condition so you can adjust speed and lane position before the hazard. This domain tests whether you recognize the hazard, understand that the sign is not a speed limit, and know how advisory speeds and plaques modify the message.
Core rules and concepts
- Curves and winding-road signs warn of alignment; chevrons and arrows mark the path through the curve.
- Intersection signs identify crossroads, side roads, T-intersections, and merging traffic.
- Road-narrows signs show a lane drop or a narrowed bridge; lane-ends signs show which lane disappears.
- Hill signs give the grade; they warn that downgrades can require lower gears and extra braking.
- Surface-condition signs cover slippery when wet, ice, fog, gravel, and uneven pavement.
- A yellow advisory speed plaque is a recommended safe speed for the feature, not the legal maximum. Warning signs are normally placed in advance of the hazard; the distance grows with approach speed.
Worked example
You see a curve sign, then a yellow 30 mph advisory plaque, while the posted speed limit is 45 mph. The legal maximum remains 45, but 30 is the recommended speed for the curve under good conditions. In rain or darkness, the safe speed may be lower. If you enter at 45 and lose control, the advisory speed can be used to show you were going too fast for the curve.
Traps
Do not assume a warning sign changes the speed limit. Do not ignore a second plaque, such as TRUCK ROLLOVER or WHEN WET. A yellow diamond with a black arrow is not a lane-use command; it shows the direction of the curve. Missing the difference between an advance warning and the hazard itself causes late braking.