Advanced Traffic Signs & Markings

Signs & Markings Their Purpose

To do its job, a sign must give its message clearly and early enough for you to

• see it
• understand it
• act safely on it.

Symbols

Symbols are used as much as possible because they're

• more easily recognised and understood
• mainly standard, particularly throughout Europe.

Recognising signs the basic rules

You'll recognise traffic signs easier if you understand some basic rules. The shape and colour of the main groups are

• circular signs, which give orders
• triangular signs, which warn
• rectangular signs, which inform and give directions
• road markings, which can do any of these three things
• traffic lights.

TRAFFIC SIGNS Signs giving warnings

Usually a red triangle pointing upwards, with a symbol or words on a white background.

These warn you of a hazard you might not otherwise be able to recognise in time, for example a bend, hill or hump-back bridge.

The sign will make clear what the hazard is. You must decide what to do about it.

Examples of warning signs

Narrowing roads

These tell you which side the road is narrowing from (sometimes both sides), and should warn you against overtaking until you have had a chance to assess the hazard.

Children and schools

The warning here is: watch out for children dashing out into the road, especially during school arrival and leaving times. Look out too for school crossing patrols.

Low Bridge Sign

Even your vehicle is low watch out. An oncoming vehicle might have to use the centre of the road to make use of any extra headroom there.

Junctions

These tell you what type of junction is ahead: T-junction, crossroads, roundabout, staggered junction and so on. The priority through the junction is indicated by the broader line.

Sharp change of direction chevrons

These may be used

• where the road changes direction sharply enough to create a hazard
• to reinforce a bend warning sign where stronger emphasis is needed.

Other hazards

If there's no special sign for a particular hazard, a general hazard warning sign is used; a red triangle with an exclamation mark on a white background.

It will have a plate underneath telling you what the hazard is, eg., fallen tree.

Traffic Signs Signs giving orders

Signs which give orders can be

• mandatory signs; these tell you what you must do
• prohibitory signs; these tell you what you must not do.

Mandatory signs

Mostly circular signs with white symbols and borders on a blue background.

For example

• mini roundabout
• keep left
• turn left.

In addition

• 'Stop - Children' sign (lollipop) carried by school crossing patrol. This is circular with black lettering on a yellow background
• 'Stop' in white on a red background, often manually controlled at roadworks
• 'Stop' and 'Give Way' signs appear at junctions and are very important for everyone's guidance and safety.

'Stop' signs

These are octagonal, with white lettering on a red background.

Usually at a junction with a limited zone of vision. Always accompanied by a stop line marked on the road. The line tells you how far forward you should go before stopping at the position from which you look, assess and decide if it is safe to proceed (PSL).

What you must do at 'Stop' signs

• Stop (even if you can see the road is clear).
• Wait until you can enter the major road without causing other drivers to change speed or direction.

'Give Way' signs

These consist of

• a red triangle pointing downwards
• black lettering on a white background.

They are always accompanied by road markings. However some junctions only have the 'give way' lines. This is usually where there's relatively little traffic.

'Give Way' signs and/or road markings show you that traffic on the road you want to enter has priority.

The double broken lines across the road show you where to stop, if necessary, to take your final look.

What you must do at 'Give Way' signs

• Give way to traffic already on the major road.
• Delay entering the major road until you can do so without causing any traffic already on the major road to change speed or direction.

Remember

• Look.
• Assess.
• Decide.
• Act.

Traffic Signs Prohibitory signs

These tell you what you must not do.

They are easy to recognise by their circular shape and red border. The message is given by symbols, words or figures, or a combination of these.

Exceptions

• No Entry sign: circular with white border and red background
• Bus Lane sign.

Speed limit signs

A red circle with a number on a white background shows the speed limit.

A white disc with a black diagonal line cancels the previous speed limit, but you must not exceed the national speed limit for the type of road you're on.

Repeater signs are a small form of the original speed limit sign which are fitted to lamp-posts to remind you of the speed limit.

Where there are lamp-posts, you should assume that the 30 mph speed limit normally applies, unless there are repeater signs showing a different speed limit.