A Guide to Road Signs and Their Meanings

Along with other drivers and pedestrians, road signs are the most commonly encountered part of driving, whether traveling cross-town or cross-country.

There are signs directing traffic, warning of hazards, alerting drivers of specific destinations and construction zones, highlighting tourist locations, and even when to be cautious of children, the disabled, and animals. Keeping track of what each type of sign means can be challenging.

Whether you’re just looking to master signage while driving or need to purchase traffic safety supplies for your commercial property, the following signs are several common road signs, their logic, and what you should expect when you see them:

Sign Shapes

Every road sign shape has a specific meaning to aid safe driving. That meaning will tie into whatever the intent of the sign. Here is what the various sign shapes mean.

Rectangular

Rectangular signs that are longer horizontally serve as guide signs. The extra surface area allows for directions for motorists. Rectangular signs that are longer vertically usually convey traffic regulations like speed limits.

Square

Square signs usually cover some sort of traffic law but also indicate important destination points like hospitals, gas stations, state police headquarters, etc. Square signs will also be used to indicate some tourist sites and campgrounds.

Diamond

When you see a diamond sign, regardless of the background color, you know it indicates some sort of hazard. Hazards can include:

• Wildlife crossing
• Falling rocks
• Construction zones
• Traffic stop warnings
• Construction vehicle entrance and exits points

Almost all road construction signs are diamond-shaped, and many situational state signs, such as warning of merging traffic or to beware of a work zone, are too.

Variable Shapes

While rectangle, square, and diamond signs are probably the most prominent, many other sign shapes indicate specific road environments. Those include, but are not limited to:

• Octogonal: Used for stop signs
• Inverted triangles: Used for yield warnings
• Pentagons: Indicate a school zone
• Circular: Will generally mean a railroad crossing is imminent

In addition, a trapezoid sign will indicate recreational areas and state or national parks, and miscellaneous shapes will indicate local, state, and federal roadways.

Sign Colors

Sign colors are just as important to understand as sign shapes. Every sign has a specific color that designates it as a particular type of sign.

Orange

Orange almost always means some sort of warning or alert to be cautious. These include signs for falling rocks, construction zones, entry and exit points for construction vehicles, etc. Orange signs can also be put up if a severe accident has happened and a road or lane needs to be closed.

Red

A red sign or a sign with red markings indicates specific instructions for drivers. Those include, but are not limited to:

• Stop
• Do not enter
• Yield

Green

Green signs are used for directional guidance. You see them on federal highways indicating traffic exits. You will also see them at places like airports or public arenas, and they will tell you specifically where to go to get to a specific point, like an airline dropoff, passenger pickup, rental cars, parking lots, etc.

Yellow or Fluorescent Green

A yellow or fluorescent green sign is always an alert of something. You see yellow or green signs at crosswalks in some areas. You will also see them indicating a school zone. Other warnings include road condition warnings, weather hazards (bridge ice before road surface), etc. So when you see a yellow sign, be especially attentive.

Blue

The purpose of blue signs is to provide motorists with information on specific types of locations and tourist stops. A blue sign will indicate a hospital, gas station, eating establishments, popular tourist destination, airport, etc.

Brown

A brown sign will tell you where a recreational area or state or federal park is located. These can also give you information on the type of attraction. An example is when a sign indicates the degree of difficulty of a hiking trail.

White

Speed limit signs are white signs with black lettering. White is almost always an indicator of traffic regulation. So are signs requiring specific turns, forbidding passing, and a reduction in speed, among other regulations.

Coral

You will not see coral road signs very often, but when you do, be aware of some sort of incident management in the immediate vicinity. For instance, some jurisdictions use coral signs to indicate clean-up after an accident.

Specific Types of Signs

Almost every driver knows that an octagonal sign painted red with white lettering on it is a stop sign. Some signs, however, are unclear regarding the purpose of the message they are imparting.

For example, some highway signs will be indicated by a green or blue badge painted on the sign, but the sign will be rectangular or square. Another example is multiple directional signs often used at intersections. These are usually rectangles painted white with black arrows going in the direction each lane is supposed to go.

Other signs have confusing images. An example is warning signs indicating a bridge that freezes, slippery conditions, or tipping hazards. In some cases, the phrasing of signs is confusing as well.

Road construction has several types of signs that indicate specific aspects or activities of construction.

Road Work or Workers Ahead

A sign warning you of workers or road work being done is self-explanatory. When you see it, look out for a work zone.

Flagger Ahead

Flagger signs can be on an orange or red background, warning you to slow down and be aware of a flagger in the roadway.

Road Closed

Usually, either black lettering on an orange or white background; when you see this sign, look for detour instructions.

Vehicle Entry or Exit

A sign indicating construction vehicle entry or exit will always be in black lettering on orange. It will usually have warning instructions on the sign or a rectangle placard beneath the warning diamond.

Road Signs Get You To Your Destination Safely

As a driver, you must know what every road sign means to help you navigate roads and highways. Not understanding them can land you in trouble with the law, cause you to miss important directions, or jeopardize yourself, your passengers, and the public.