New Mexico driving lesson · Traffic Control Devices
Warning & railroad signs
A 3-minute lesson from the New Mexico course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Sign shape and color tell you what kind of message is coming before you can read it. Warning signs alert you to a hazard or special situation ahead so you can slow down and be ready to stop.
Know the rule
Warning signs are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols, and most are diamond shaped.
Common warning signs: cross road, signal ahead, merging traffic, two-way traffic, right lane ends, school zone, pedestrian and school crossings, divided highway, low bridge, slippery when wet, hill
Know the rule
Never try to beat a train. Don't start across unless there's room for your vehicle on the far side, so you won't have to stop on the tracks.
A sign showing the number of tracks warns that more than one train may cross. Not every multi-track crossing has one, so check for extra tracks yourself.
You're approaching a crossing and the lights begin flashing and the gate starts to lower, but you see no train yet. Stop and wait. Never drive around the gate, and don't go until the bell or horn stops.
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 and color are most warning signs?
Red octagons with white letters
Yellow diamonds with black symbols
Blue rectangles with white symbols
Orange triangles with black borders
Answer: Yellow diamonds with black symbols
Warning signs are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols, and most are diamond shaped.
