Roadwise States Michigan Driving lessons Sign shapes, colors and route markers Michigan driving lesson · Signs, Signals, and Pavement Markings
Sign shapes, colors and route markers A 2-minute lesson from the Michigan course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 2 minutes
Course unit Signs, Signals, and Pavement Markings
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 55, 56 You can often read a sign before you can read its words. Its shape and its color tell you what kind of message it carries — a law, a warning, a direction or a service.
The nine basic sign shapes: Octagon: STOP Triangle: YIELD Diamond: WARNING Pentagon: SCHOOL Pennant: WARNING / NO PASSING Horizontal rectangle: DIRECTIONS Vertical rectangle: LAW Round: RAILROAD CROSSING Crossbuck: RAILROAD CROSSING Handbook p. 55 ↗ Octagon: STOP Pentagon: SCHOOL Pennant: WARNING / NO PASSING Round: RAILROAD CROSSING Sign colors: Red: stop / prohibited / forbidden Blue: service / hospitality Green: directions / guidance Yellow: caution / general warning Orange: caution for construction or maintenance Black: regulatory — legally allowed or prohibited White: regulatory — legally allowed or prohibited Fluorescent yellow-green: school, pedestrian or bicycle caution Fluorescent pink: incident, emergency or unplanned event Brown: recreation / cultural interest Handbook p. 56 ↗ Know the rule
Regulatory signs tell you about specific laws and regulate the speed and movement of traffic. They are usually rectangular, in white and black, red-white-black, or red and white.
Handbook p. 56 ↗ Route markers: Interstate freeway sign (red, white and blue shield) U.S. highway sign State highway sign (M-route in a diamond) County route marker Handbook p. 56 ↗ Interstate freeway sign State highway sign (M-32) Put it into practice
You see a fluorescent pink diamond sign ahead. Pink means an incident, emergency or unplanned event is affecting traffic — expect to be guided around or through it.
A useful reminder Orange = construction; fluorescent pink = incident; fluorescent yellow-green = school, pedestrians, bikes.
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 shape is a STOP sign? Octagon Pentagon Diamond Triangle Answer: Octagon
A STOP sign is an octagon.
Handbook p. 55 ↗ What shape is a YIELD sign? Pentagon Round Triangle Rectangle Answer: Triangle
A YIELD sign is a triangle.
Handbook p. 55 ↗ What shape is a school zone sign? Round Horizontal rectangle Crossbuck Pentagon Answer: Pentagon
A school zone sign is shaped like a pentagon.
Handbook p. 55 ↗ What color are stop and prohibition signs? Red Blue Brown Green Answer: Red
Red indicates stop, prohibited, or forbidden.
Handbook p. 56 ↗ What does a blue traffic sign typically indicate? Recreation area Regulatory law Services Warning Answer: Services
Blue signs indicate service or hospitality information, like gas or food.
Handbook p. 56 ↗ What color is used for an incident, emergency, or unplanned traffic event sign? Fluorescent pink Fluorescent orange Fluorescent yellow-green Bright red Answer: Fluorescent pink
Fluorescent pink indicates an incident, emergency, or unplanned event.
Handbook p. 56 ↗ Previous lesson Where you can never park Next lesson Regulatory, guide and service signs More in Signs, Signals, and Pavement Markings About the source Roadwise’s Michigan course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 55, 56. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
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