The left-hand lane leads to a different destination from the other lanes. On approaches to junctions (junction number on black background)ĭownward pointing arrows mean ‘Get in lane’ Mostly rectangular Signs on motorways - blue backgroundsĪt a junction leading directly into a motorway (junction number may be shown on a black background) Other danger plate indicates nature of danger Miniature warning lights at level crossings Light signals ahead at level crossing, airfield or bridge Sharp deviation of route to left (or right if chevrons reversed) Overhead electric cable plate indicates maximum height of vehicles which can pass safely School crossing patrol ahead (some signs have amber lights which flash when crossings are in use)įrail (or blind or disabled if shown) pedestrians likely to cross road ahead Level crossing without barrier or gate ahead Level crossing with barrier or gate ahead Low-flying aircraft or sudden aircraft noise The priority through route is indicated by the broader line.ĭouble bend first to left (symbol may be reversed)īend to right (or left if symbol reversed)

T-junction with priority over vehicles from the right Road narrows on right (left if symbol reversed) One-way traffic (note: compare circular ‘Ahead only’ sign) Segregated pedal cycle and pedestrian route Mini-roundabout (roundabout circulation - give way to vehicles from the immediate right) Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination Turn left ahead (right if symbol reversed) No stopping (Clearway) Signs with blue circles but no red border mostly give positive instruction. No stopping during times shown except for as long as necessary to set down or pick up passengers No stopping during period indicated except for buses No vehicles over maximum gross weight shown (in tonnes) No goods vehicles over maximum gross weight shown (in tonnes) except for loading and unloading Give priority to vehicles from opposite direction No vehicle or combination of vehicles over length shown Manually operated temporary STOP and GO signs Plates below signs qualify their message. The Standard Highway Signs book can be purchase from the US Government Printing Office and the American Traffic Safety Services Association through the web sites listed above.Signs with red circles are mostly prohibitive. Hard copies of the MUTCD can be purchased from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ( ) the Institute of Transportation Engineers ( ) the American Traffic Safety Services Association ( ) and the US Government Printing Office (). This web site also contains information on standard lettering used on highway signs and pavement markings and on highway sign color specifications. Both of these books are available in electronic format online at. Dimension drawings for signs can be found in the Standard Highway Signs book. Standards for the sign design and application of the signs shown here as well as for other traffic control devices are contained in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). On the navigation bar under Knowledge, select Sign Shape/Color. Test your Sign IQ by taking the interactive shape and color quiz available on the web at. The illustration below shows how the shape and color of a sign indicate the nature of the message. A circular sign warns of a railroad crossing. Rectangular signs with the longer direction horizontal provide guidance information. Additional regulatory signs are octagons for stop and inverted triangles for yield. Traffic regulations are conveyed in signs that are rectangular with the longer direction vertical or square. Sign shape can also alert roadway users to the type of information displayed on a sign. A white background indicates a regulatory sign yellow conveys a general warning message green shows permitted traffic movements or directional guidance fluorescent yellow/green indicates pedestrian crossings and school zones orange is used for warning and guidance in roadway work zones coral is used for incident management signs ** blue indicates road user services, tourist information, and evacuation routes and brown is for guidance to sites of public recreation or cultural interest. The use of red on signs is limited to stop, yield, and prohibition signs. The color of roadway signs is an important indicator of the information they contain. Familiarity with symbols on traffic signs is important for every road user in order to maintain the safety and efficiency of our transportation facilities. Symbols provide instant communication with roadway users, overcome language barriers, and are becoming standard for traffic control devices throughout the world. Roadway signs in the United States increasingly use symbols rather than words to convey their message.

No two way traffic sign