Can You Identify All These Road Signs?

By: Lauren Lubas

The bent arrow pointing toward the left can be in a lane that requires you to turn left, or it can warn you that a left turn is coming up, so people ahead of you might be slowing down.

Mile markers are one of the most reliable ways to understand the distance you have to go to your exit, because exits are generally numbered by the mile marker they sit on. Therefore, if your GPS fails you, you can figure out how long you have to go.

These intersection lane control markers are a great way to tell motorists what they have to do. Though some may miss these signs until they are at a stoplight, for the most part, they are simple to understand and follow.

Most motorist service signs that you see on the highway show you different amenities that are offered at each of the exits. The triangle sign is supposed to be a tent, which lets you know that camping is available at that exit.

It is best to treat a yield sign as though it is a stop sign. You have to look for oncoming traffic, because they have the right of way, but if there is no traffic coming, you don't have to come to a full and complete stop at this sign.

This is a pretty rare sign, but it is usually found on roads that are dangerous and at risk if there is a hazardous material spill. You may even find them near military bases around the country.

Stop signs are incredibly important in neighborhood areas as well as in rural areas where there are few traffic lights. One of the major causes of accidents is when people simply roll through them or don't follow these signs at all.

As you drive through the United States, recreational areas are flagged by brown signs. Never miss your chance to look up what is coming your way on a road trip. You will be pleasantly surprised by what this country has to offer.

In general, if you see this sign, you are going the wrong way down a one-way street, or you are going the wrong way onto a highway ramp. Either way, it's a very bad idea to ignore this sign.

Pedestrian crosswalks have one person on them while school crosswalks have two people on them. The two signs are different shapes as well. A pedestrian crosswalk is a diamond shape, while a school crosswalk looks more like a house (a school house, if you will).

Whenever you see a no parking sign, make sure you read in detail what is under it. This will tell you if parking is restricted during certain hours or during certain weather conditions.

If you are driving down a country road, you will typically see a warning of a curve before the curve actually happens. If the curve is sharp enough, the speed limit for that curve will change, and you will see these bright signs to warn you.

You will normally see these signs in country roads where there are few stoplights and after you get off of highways. They remind motorists that something is coming, and tell motorists to be prepared to stop, yield or go.

While it is typically avoided by city planners, sometimes roads intersect in a curve and traffic has to merge in the intersection. When this is the case, take extra care and remember to keep an eye on those mirrors!

While these signs are generally meant for larger trucks, they also apply to vehicles with a high center of gravity that can tip over. These include SUVs and vehicles carrying loads on top of them.

If you live in the American Midwest, you know that these signs are pretty common. However, it is best to keep an eye out for deer when the temperature first dips below 35 degrees, because chances are they are out mating.

Near the coastlines and rivers of this country, you will see these sprinkled throughout smaller crossings or near barrier islands. They are a great service to get your car from one place to the next, but they can take quite a long time and a fair bit of waiting.

Owning a vehicle with an alternative energy source such as diesel and electric can be a little tough sometimes. This is especially true on road trips. Make sure you know the signs that will confirm your vehicle will get what it needs.

If you are on a longer road trip, seeing a sign like this is not only helpful, it is a miracle. You love to see signs like this, because there is nothing like washing your clothes after being on the road for weeks.

County route markers are probably the most ignored sign by drivers. They are generally on arterial roads that connect smaller towns, and if you can find one on a map, it is usually connected to a state route marker.

This road sign has three signs built into it. It has the yield sign, which people recognize right away, but then it has an arrow pointing to a line on the road, and the pedestrian crossing symbol as well.

There are a lot of things that can make a road slippery. Wet leaves, rain on oil and ice are all factors in major accidents on roadways. These signs are incredibly important for roads made from materials that get slippery easily.

These signs aren't just to inform people of public pools. They also show people where there are safe swimming areas in lakes, beaches and rivers. If you're road tripping through the summer months, these signs are beacons of hope.

The sleeping person is a great sign to see when you know you just can't push it another mile. Remember that driving tired is equivalent to driving intoxicated, so be sure to stop if you start to get sleepy.

While most railroad crossings have stop arms and bells and whistles, some of them only have this basic sign. That means that you have to stop, look and listen at these places, because trains are no joke.

It is important to pay attention to fire station signs, especially those that are close to intersections. If you see a first station sign, and you are at a stop, be sure not to block the driveway, as the trucks need to exit and enter frequently.

You see this sign quite a bit when you are on an arterial road that doesn't have too many stoplights. This sign is usually accompanied by the name of the crossroad, so you can prepare for stops and turns if necessary.

In designated national forests, roads are built to help you get from one place to another. These road signs can be seen to give you an idea of where you are and how far you have to go to get to your destination.

Remember that parking signs for those with disabilities are rectangular or square, while a crossing sign is diamond-shaped and greenish-yellow. If you see one of these signs, be sure that you are only parking there if you have legal accommodation.

Y-intersections should be treated as any other intersection. If you see this sign, be sure to watch for other signs, including signal ahead signs and yield or stop signs that will tell you what to do when you reach the intersection.

You will normally see the "photo enforced" sign under another warning sign. They are generally found below the signal ahead and stop ahead signs. These are a great way to let motorists know that the police are watching.

These signs are important for motorists to pay attention to during the summer months. This sign is usually accompanied by a reduced speed limit sign to ensure teh safety of young people in our communities.

You usually see this sign in areas where there are few walking paths for people because, on certain roads, hitchhiking can be a very dangerous choice. This is because they have no way to avoid motorists.

These signs are found by bridges that have a low clearance. In general, they are only posted if the bridge is lower than most semi-trucks to ensure that the trucks don't damage the bridges or themselves.

We all know that when a truck is at a full and complete stop, it doesn't start up very fast. For this reason, signs like this are important to pay attention to, because depending on your speed, you may not be able to stop in time when you see the truck go.

For the most part, all 4-way stops are posted with these little signs. This tells motorists to pay attention to who stops when as you approach the stop sign. Always remember to wait your turn, and the person on the right goes first if you both stop at the same time.

When you drive through the mountains, you will usually see a sign like this on steeper inclines. The problem with these steep inclines is that they can ruin brakes, and if your brakes go out in the mountains, you have to find another way to stop. That is what these truck escape ramps are for.

It doesn't take much of a shift to make loose rocks fall from the sides of mountains. If you are traveling through the mountains, you may see large nets and patches, but whenever you see this sign, be aware of what's happening above you.

If you're from the rural areas of this country, you probably already know that there is nothing more annoying than a cow in the road. This sign will tell you if you need to watch out for it.

For those traveling to areas they aren't familiar with, these signs are good to make note of. If you don't have an emergency, but you still need a hospital, it's always good to know where you can find one (in case your GPS fails you).

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Image: Pixabay by Geralt

About This Quiz

The rules of the road, unlike many things in life, don't change very often. If you see a sign posting a speed limit, you need to keep your car within that limit (while the limit itself might change from place to place, the rule still stands). If you see a stop sign, you stop (contrary to popular belief, the ones with white borders are NOT optional, because they all have white borders). 

While road signs are standard throughout the country, you may find that your neck of the woods doesn't have the same signs that other regions might have. However, for some reason, when you see these new signs, you know exactly what to do. This is because the United States Department of Transportation does everything in its power to maintain consistency in how a sign is made so that people can quickly understand what to do when they see a sign that might look slightly different. 

Though road signs are an important part of road safety, there are some people out there who ignore them. If you are annoyed by people who do this, you probably have a decent understanding of the rules of the road (even if you don't always follow them), so you like to criticize those who don't follow said rules. Do you think you're an expert driver? If so, let's test your skills and see if you can identify these road signs and what they are for.

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