Here Are The 3 Basic Road Signs

With the average American driver traveling over 1,000 miles in their car every month, it’s important for road signage to be concise and clear, ensuring the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles.

But what makes a highway sign understandable? Traffic signs can be sliced and divided any way you want them to, and they’re intentionally designed that way.

Road signs have three basic categories – regulatory, warning, and guide signs — but they can also be sorted by color and shape.

Chances are you’ve seen hundreds of traffic signs but may not be aware what those colors and shapes mean to the average driver, and why disregarding the standards could jeopardize traffic safety.

The Big Three: Regulatory, Warning, and Guide/Marker Signs

1. Regulatory Signs

Also known as traffic control signage, these signs are, by their nature, less informational, and more directorial.

For travelers entering a new town, unfamiliar with unique traffic laws and penalties, regulatory signs are often the most important.

They include stop signs, yield signs, turn and lane use signs and traffic signal signs (“No Turn on Red,” for instance). If you’re a driver looking for curbside parking, regulation signs provide the information you need to avoid a citation. Regulatory signs also encompass detour signs, weigh station signage, and railroad crossing signs.

2. Warning Signs

Maybe the most likely to save your life in a vehicle, warning signs do exactly as their title suggests – warn drivers about upcoming hazards, lane merges, or necessary speed changes.

Warning signs include turn and curve warnings, intersection signs, merge and lane transition warnings,

bridge clearances, divided highway warnings, hill warnings, and pedestrian crossing notices among others. Almost every warning sign is symbol-based, with little to no text. 

3. Guide Signs

When you’re taking a road trip, guide signs are the holy grail of navigation.

Yes, GPS navigation can take you just about anywhere nowadays, but fumbling with your phone while your approaching a confluence of two or three highways can be dangerous.

Guide signs, such as diagrammatic guide signs, roadway junction signs, destination distance signs, and mile markers, help motorists navigate interstate highways without taking their eyes off the road.