Road Traffic Signs
Why signs matter
Signs tell you what the law requires (regulatory), what is coming (warning), and where things are (guide/information). Learn each group by its shape and colour first, then by meaning. In Zimbabwe, circular signs with a red border are generally prohibitions or restrictions (speed limits, no entry, no overtaking), while blue circles are mandatory instructions (turn left, keep left, minimum speed). Triangular signs with a red border warn of hazards ahead. Rectangular signs give information or directions.
Concepts to master
- Regulatory signs: stop, yield/give way, speed limits, no entry, weight and height limits, parking restrictions.
- Warning signs: bends, junctions, steep hills, pedestrian crossings, wild animals, slippery road, road narrows.
- Priority and prohibitory plates: supplementary plates beneath a sign change its scope (times, vehicle types, distances).
- Temporary signs: construction and school-crossing signs override permanent ones where they conflict.
Traps in questions
A common trap is a sign that looks like a warning but is regulatory, or a supplementary plate that narrows a general rule to certain hours. Another is confusing "no entry" (red circle with white bar) with "no stopping" or "no parking." Read the whole sign assembly, including plates, before answering.
Rule of thumb
Shape first: triangle = warning, circle = command or prohibition, rectangle = information. If a plate sits under the sign, the plate's condition applies.
Worked example
A red-bordered circle showing "60" with a plate reading "7am–7pm" means the 60 km/h limit applies only during those hours; outside them the general limit for that road type governs. Answer questions by applying both the main sign and its plate.