Every traffic sign has a shape and color that announce its purpose, so you can read it from far away. Even if a stop sign is bent or covered with dirt, limbs or snow, its eight sides and red color tell you to stop.
Sign background colors
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Stop, yield, do not enter or wrong way |
| Yellow | General warning (and school signs) |
| Orange | Construction and maintenance only |
| Black and white | Regulatory (laws you must obey) |
| White | Regulatory, route markers and guide signs |
| Brown | Public recreation and cultural interest |
| Green | Guidance and directions, mileposts |
| Blue | Motorist services, police, rest areas |
Fluorescent yellow-green
Used for school zones and pedestrian areas such as crosswalks. Easier to see in low light, fog and rain — watch for children, walkers, bicyclists.
Handbook p. 50 ↗Fluorescent pink (coral)
Incident management signs for crashes, wildland fires, floods or hazardous material spills that interrupt normal traffic.
Handbook p. 50 ↗Know the rule
Red is a background color only for STOP signs, FOUR-WAY/ALL WAY plates, DO NOT ENTER, WRONG WAY and interstate route markers. Orange is used for nothing but construction and maintenance.
Handbook p. 49 ↗Know the rule
You must obey police, highway construction workers and school crossing guards directing traffic — even when their directions differ from the lights and signs.
Handbook p. 49 ↗Sign shapes
| Shape | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Octagon (8 sides) | Stop — the only eight-sided sign |
| Triangle | Yield |
| Round | Railroad ahead |
| Broad 'X' (crossbuck) | Railroad crossing here |
| Diamond | Hazard or unusual condition ahead |
| Rectangle | Laws, regulations or important information |
Know the rule
At a STOP sign, come to a complete stop without going past the crosswalk. If you can't see, edge forward carefully to where you can, and go only when safe. An ALL WAY plate means every approach must stop.
Handbook p. 50 ↗
Know the rule
At a YIELD sign, slow down and stop if vehicles are coming from the right or left. If you're sure none are coming, you don't need to stop fully — but always stop when traffic is heavy.
Handbook p. 50 ↗Know the rule
The round yellow railroad sign warns that a grade crossing is ahead: slow down and be ready to stop.
Handbook p. 50 ↗Crossbuck
The white X-shaped sign at every railroad crossing. A small sign below shows the number of tracks — with two or more, one train can hide another.
Handbook p. 50 ↗Know the rule
Flashing lights on a crossbuck mean a train is coming: stop and stay stopped until it passes. With a gate, stop when the lights start flashing, before the gate comes down, and wait until the gate rises and the lights stop.
Handbook p. 50 ↗
Put it into practice
Driving home at dusk, you see an orange diamond sign ahead. Before you can read it, you already know two things: it's a warning (diamond) and it's about road work (orange). Slow down and get ready for workers or a lane change.