The Ultimate Guide to Reading Road Signs
If you are learning how to drive, you must not miss learning to read road signs because they go hand in hand. As you drive down the corner and approach a road sign, you must know what the sign means to ensure that you are driving safely. While most road signs are obvious in definition, some road signs may not be as self-explanatory. When you overlook or misinterpret a road sign, you are putting yourself at risk of causing an accident or confusion on the road.
To help you out, we have prepared this ultimate road sign guide. With our guide, you will not only learn enough to help you ace your written test, but also to make your day-to-day experience better when you know how to read the different signs around you.
Road signs are designed in specific categories based on colors and shapes. You may have noticed that road signs come in diverse colors and shapes. But do you know what their colors and shapes mean? Read till the end to have a foundational understanding of road signs. And as a bonus, we provided you with a list of important road signs you must know!
COLORS
Road signs are grouped by colors. Each color corresponds to a specific meaning. For instance, red means to stop or yield. Make sure you can recall the different road sign colors and their corresponding meaning.
SHAPES
Road signs also come in different shapes. Different shapes inform you of different situations that would require additional attention. Some shapes, however, will be only used for one type of sign. For instance, an octagon-shaped sign is only meant to indicate a stop sign.
- Diamand = Warning
- Diamond signs are used to warn drivers of potential hazards ahead that would require you to stay alert.
- Pennant = No Passing Zone
- Pennant-shaped signs indicate a no-passing zone due to road conditions.
- Octagon = Stop
- The only octagon shaped sign is a stop sign indication that you should come to a full stop.
- Triangle = pointing downward – Yield
- The only triangle (pointing downward) shaped sign is a yield sign indicating a slowdown.
- Pentagon = School or County Marking
- Pentagon shaped signs warn that you are approaching school or county zones. School zone markings are always pentagonal and fluorescent green yellow while county markings may vary in color depending on the state.
- Rectangle = Vertical – Regulatory
- Vertical facing rectangular shaped signs are regulatory signs that tell you what you CAN (mandatory) or CANNOT do (prohibitory). Examples include keep ahead signs, left/right turn only signs, no-entry signs, and no parking signs.
- Crossbuck/Round = Railroad Crossing
- Crossbuck and round signs inform you of railroads ahead and warn you when they are advancing. When you come across these signs, make sure to watch out for railroads crossing and only pass when safe to do so.
- Interstate Highway
- Interstate highway signs are present on highways and indicate the route number of the interstate highway. Each state’s interstate highway sign may look slightly different and vary in route number.
- Rectangle = Horizontal – Guidance Information
- Horizontal rectangular shaped signs provide guidance information for you. You may know them as the signs on the highways.
16 ROAD SIGNS YOU MUST KNOW
As you learn the road sign colors and shapes, we have offered a cheat sheet covering 16 road signs essential to make help you have a safe driving journey. Check out our road sign cheat sheet so that the next time you see one of these signs, you will know what they mean and how you should react.
We have covered a lot! Use the guide to help you familiarize yourself with the different road signs out there. To ensure a safe driving journey, mastering your ability to read road signs will be key. We want to make sure that the next time you come across a road sign, you will know for sure what it means!
For more information, feel free to visit our website at https://www.ferraridrivingschool.com/.