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Alabama driving lesson · Signs, Signals & Road Markings

Warning signs: road shape and conditions

A 3-minute lesson from the Alabama course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Signs, Signals & Road Markings
Checkpoint questions
3
Source pages
46, 47, 48

Warning signs tell you about hazards ahead so you can slow down and prepare. They're usually yellow diamonds with black symbols. Construction-area warning signs are orange.

Know the rule

Warning signs are black and yellow, except construction-area signs, which are black and orange. Fluorescent yellow marks pedestrian crossings and school zones. Most are diamond-shaped.

Handbook p. 46 ↗

Road-shape warnings:

  • Sharp turn to the left
  • Curve to the right
  • Gradual curve to the right, then to the left
  • Winding road ahead
  • Sharp turn to the left, then sharp turn to the right
  • Side road enters from the right, or at an angle
Handbook p. 47 ↗
Curve left
Sharp turn to the left
Reverse curve
Gradual curve right, then left
Winding road
Winding road ahead
Double arrow
You can't go straight ahead; turn right or left

Road-surface and width warnings:

  • BUMP: there is a bump ahead; slow down
  • DIP: there is a dip in the roadway; slow down
  • SOFT SHOULDER: the side of the road is soft; don't drive off the pavement
  • ROAD NARROWS / PAVEMENT NARROWS: the road ahead is narrower than the one you're on
  • Island ahead: you may drive on either side
Handbook p. 47 ↗
Soft shoulder
SOFT SHOULDER
Dip
DIP

Advance warnings:

  • ONE LANE BRIDGE: no room on the bridge ahead to meet or pass another car or truck
  • STOP AHEAD: there is a STOP sign ahead
  • YIELD AHEAD: there is a YIELD sign ahead
  • T-intersection: you can't go straight; the road turns both right and left
Handbook p. 48 ↗
T intersection
T-intersection: road turns right and left
One lane bridge / Stop ahead (combo)
ONE LANE BRIDGE and STOP AHEAD
Yield ahead
YIELD AHEAD

Put it into practice

You see a yellow ONE LANE BRIDGE sign and a truck is already approaching the bridge from the other side. Slow down and wait for it to cross. There's no room on the bridge to meet or pass another vehicle.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

A yellow diamond reading “ONE LANE BRIDGE” warns of what condition ahead?
  1. The road narrows permanently ahead
  2. The bridge has a low weight limit
  3. There isn't room on the bridge to meet or pass another vehicle
  4. The bridge is closed to trucks

Answer: There isn't room on the bridge to meet or pass another vehicle

This sign warns that there is not room on the bridge ahead to meet or pass another car or truck.

Handbook p. 48 ↗
The warning sign for “SOFT SHOULDER” is telling drivers what?
  1. Parking is allowed on the shoulder
  2. The shoulder is being repaved
  3. There's a shoulder closure ahead
  4. The side of the road is soft; don't drive off the pavement

Answer: The side of the road is soft; don't drive off the pavement

This sign warns that the shoulder is soft and drivers should not drive off the pavement.

Handbook p. 47 ↗
The warning sign showing pavement narrowing gradually is used to alert drivers of what?
  1. A one-lane bridge ahead
  2. The road ahead is narrower than the one you're on
  3. A dip in the road
  4. A divided highway ahead

Answer: The road ahead is narrower than the one you're on

The ROAD NARROWS / PAVEMENT NARROWS sign warns that the roadway ahead becomes narrower than the current road.

Handbook p. 48 ↗
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