North Dakota driving lesson · Signs, Signals & Markings
Work zones, devices & flaggers
A 3-minute lesson from the North Dakota course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Work zones change the road without notice: narrow lanes, uneven pavement, loose gravel and workers only inches from traffic. Orange signs are your cue to slow down and follow the devices and flaggers.
Know the rule
Work zone signs are orange with a black legend. Most are diamond-shaped; a few are rectangular. You may also see electronic signs with changing messages.
Diagonal stripes on a barricade or vertical panel show which side to pass on. Stripes sloping down to the right mean keep to the right; stripes sloping down to the left mean keep to the left.
Barricades and vertical panels: pass to the left or pass to the right
Know the rule
Large flashing or sequencing arrow panels, used day and night, direct drivers into certain lanes and warn that part of the road ahead is closed. They can also run in a caution mode.
Flagpersons wear orange, yellow, strong yellow-green or fluorescent vests, shirts or jackets. They use red flags or STOP/SLOW paddles to stop, slow or guide traffic.
A flagger ahead turns a paddle from STOP to SLOW. Move ahead at a reduced speed, follow the flagger's directions and the cones, and watch for workers and equipment near your lane.
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 color are most work-zone signs?
Red with white letters
Orange with a black legend
White with black letters
Yellow with a black legend
Answer: Orange with a black legend
Most signs in highway work areas are diamond shaped, orange with a black legend.
