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Indiana driving lesson · Traffic Signs & Signals

Sign colors

A 2-minute lesson from the Indiana course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
2 minutes
Course unit
Traffic Signs & Signals
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
32

A sign's background color tells you what kind of message it carries before you can read a word. Indiana commonly uses seven sign colors, and yellow and fluorescent yellow-green count as one group.

Sign colors and what they mean

Sign colors and what they mean
ColorMeaningExample
BrownNearby recreational and cultural interest sitesNearby state park
BlueRoad services and informationAmenities at an upcoming exit
GreenPermitted movements, directions, guidanceDistance to destinations
OrangeTemporary conditions (construction, maintenance)Flagger Ahead
WhiteRegulations you must obey, e.g. speed limitsNo Turn on Red
YellowSpecific road conditions and hazards aheadSlippery When Wet
Fluorescent yellow-greenSchools, pedestrians, bicycles, playgroundsSchool pedestrian crossing
RedRegulations requiring immediate actionWrong Way
Handbook p. 32 ↗

Know the rule

White signs also carry helpful information such as state highway markers.

Handbook p. 32 ↗

Know the rule

Fluorescent yellow-green signs warn of nearby schools, pedestrians, bicycles, playgrounds, and school bus routes.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
Wrong way
Red: Wrong Way
No turn on red
White: No Turn on Red
Slippery when wet
Yellow: Slippery When Wet
Pedestrian crossing
Fluorescent yellow-green: pedestrian crossing
Flagger ahead
Orange: Flagger Ahead
Destination and distance
Green: distances to destinations
Service sign (gas, food, lodging) composite
Blue: services at an upcoming exit
Recreational area
Brown: state park

Put it into practice

A diamond sign with an orange background shows a person holding a flag. Orange means a temporary condition, so a flagger is ahead in a work zone. Slow down and be ready to stop.

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.

What does a red traffic sign convey?
  1. Temporary conditions, such as construction
  2. Permitted movement, direction, or distance
  3. Rules requiring immediate driver action
  4. Road services, such as exit amenities

Answer: Rules requiring immediate driver action

Red signs convey traffic regulations that require drivers to take immediate action, such as a Wrong Way sign.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
What do orange traffic signs typically indicate?
  1. Permitted movement, direction, or distance
  2. Road services, such as exit amenities
  3. Hazards ahead and nearby school zones
  4. Temporary conditions, such as construction

Answer: Temporary conditions, such as construction

Orange signs warn of temporary conditions, often highway construction or maintenance.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
What do green traffic signs display?
  1. Permitted movement, direction, or distance
  2. Temporary conditions, such as construction
  3. Road services, such as exit amenities
  4. Hazards ahead and nearby school zones

Answer: Permitted movement, direction, or distance

Green signs indicate permitted movements and directions, such as highway exits or distances.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
What do blue traffic signs display?
  1. Temporary conditions, such as construction
  2. Road services, such as exit amenities
  3. Hazards ahead and nearby school zones
  4. Regulations, like speed limits, to obey

Answer: Road services, such as exit amenities

Blue signs display road services and information like amenities near an exit.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
What kind of information does a white traffic sign display?
  1. Temporary conditions, such as construction
  2. Nearby recreational and cultural sites
  3. Hazards ahead and nearby school zones
  4. Regulations, like speed limits, to obey

Answer: Regulations, like speed limits, to obey

White signs display traffic regulations, such as speed limits, and helpful highway markers.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
What do brown traffic signs indicate?
  1. Nearby recreational and cultural sites
  2. Permitted movement, direction, or distance
  3. Regulations, like speed limits, to obey
  4. Rules requiring immediate driver action

Answer: Nearby recreational and cultural sites

Brown signs indicate nearby recreational and cultural interest sites, like a state park.

Handbook p. 32 ↗
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