Traffic Controls: Signs, Signals and Pavement Markings

Written for aiforu2 as the source for a practice-test bank and the on-device tutor for the Florida Class E knowledge exam. The facts follow the official handbook; the wording is ours. Sign pictures are the federal MUTCD designs, which are public domain; each is listed with its file name at the end.

Source: Florida Class E Driver License Handbook, rev. 08/2023, chapter "Traffic Controls" (pp. 43–57).

Pavement markings

What the colors mean

Lines painted on the road are instructions, not decoration. Two colors carry the main rule:

• White lines separate lanes of traffic moving in the same direction, and a single solid white line marks the right edge of the road.
• Yellow lines separate lanes moving in opposite directions, and a single solid yellow line marks the left edge of the road on divided highways and one-way streets.

Unless you are turning, leaving the highway or changing lanes, stay between the lines of your lane. A driver may briefly move left of center to get past a bicycle, another non-motorized vehicle, an electric bicycle or a pedestrian, when it is safe.

White lane lines

• Single broken white line. You may cross it to change lanes when it is safe.
• Single solid white line. Traffic on both sides moves the same way, but stay in your lane; cross it only to avoid a hazard. Solid white lines are also used near intersections to discourage lane changes.
• Double solid white lines. Crossing them to change lanes is not allowed.

Yellow center lines and passing

• Single broken yellow line. Keep to the right of it. You may cross it to pass a vehicle ahead, only when it is safe.
• Double solid yellow lines. Traffic in either direction must not cross them to pass. You may still cross them to turn left, or to pass a bicyclist, when safe.
• Double yellow, solid on your side, broken on the other. Passing is not allowed from your lane. Turning left or passing a bicyclist is still permitted when safe.
• Double yellow, broken on your side, solid on the other. Passing is permitted from your lane when safe.

The rule of thumb: the line nearest you is the one that applies to you.

Stop lines and crosswalks

A stop line is a solid white bar showing where to stop for a stop sign or a red light. Stop before any part of the vehicle crosses it, which puts you before the crosswalk. A marked crosswalk is bounded by solid white lines and may be filled with diagonal or perpendicular stripes; drivers must always yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk.

Turn lanes and center turn lanes

Arrows painted with white lane lines show which movement a lane allows:

• A curved arrow with the word ONLY means you must turn in the direction of the arrow.
• A curved arrow together with a straight arrow means you may turn or go straight.
• A two-way roadway with a center lane lets drivers from both directions use that center lane for left turns. It is never a passing lane.

Reversible lanes

Some highways reverse the direction of certain lanes at set times of day to handle rush hour. They are marked with special pavement markings, lane signals and signs.

Bicycle lanes and sharrows

• An exclusive bike lane is separated from the travel lanes by solid white lines and is often marked with bike symbols or signs.
• A shared-use lane is marked with sharrows (a bicycle with two chevrons). They tell drivers that bicyclists may use the whole lane, show bicyclists where to ride, and discourage riding against traffic.

Motor vehicles may not drive in a bike lane. You may cross one when turning at an intersection, but only when no bicyclist is in it.

Curbs and other markings

• A yellow-painted curb means no parking there, typically near fire hydrants and intersections.
• Yellow or white diagonal stripes mark fixed obstructions such as medians and no-parking zones.
• It is illegal to park in, or drive through, areas marked as fire lanes or safety zones.

Sign colors and shapes

The color and shape of a sign tell you what kind of message it carries before you can read it.

Shapes carry meaning too: the octagon is only ever a stop sign, the downward triangle is yield, the diamond is a warning, the pentagon marks a school zone or crossing, the round yellow sign warns of a railroad crossing ahead, and the pennant (a sideways triangle on the left side of the road) marks a no-passing zone.

Regulatory signs

Regulatory signs set the rules of the road and are enforceable by law. They are usually white with black or red.

• Stop (R1-1). Bring the vehicle to a complete halt at the stop line. If there is no stop line, stop before the crosswalk; if there is no crosswalk, stop at the point nearest the intersection where you can see approaching traffic.
• All Way (R1-3P plaque under a stop sign). Every direction stops. Vehicles go in the order they arrived; the first to reach the intersection goes first. If two arrive at about the same time, each driver yields to the driver on the right.
• Yield (R1-2). Slow down and give the right-of-way to traffic crossing your path. If the way is clear you may continue slowly without stopping.
• Speed Limit (R2-1). Do not exceed the posted speed. An exit speed sign gives the maximum safe speed for an expressway ramp; slow to it.
• Speeding Fines Doubled. Posted in active school and work zones: a speeding citation there costs double.
• Do Not Enter (R5-1). You may not enter; used on one-way streets and ramps.
• Wrong Way (R5-1a). You are driving against traffic. Turn around immediately.
• One Way (R6-1). Travel only in the direction of the arrow.
• No U-Turn (R3-4). You may not turn around to go the opposite way.
• No Right Turn (R3-1) / No Left Turn (R3-2). That turn is not allowed at this intersection.
• No Turns (R3-3). Neither a right nor a left turn is allowed here.
• No Turn on Red (R10-11). You must wait for the green signal; you may not turn right or left on red.
• The NO symbol. A red circle with a red slash over a picture shows what is forbidden.
• Left (or Right) Lane Must Turn (R3-7). Traffic in that lane must turn at the intersection ahead.
• Turn Lanes / lane-use signs (R3-8). At the intersection ahead the left lane must turn left and the next lane may turn left or go straight.
• Must Turn. You cannot go straight ahead; turn right or left.
• Center Turn Lane sign. The center lane is shared for left turns by both directions of travel.
• Begin Right Turn Lane, Yield to Bikes. As you enter a right-turn lane you may meet bicyclists going straight; they have the right-of-way.
• Do Not Pass (R4-1). Passing is not allowed here.
• Pass With Care (R4-2). Passing is allowed, with caution.
• Keep Right (R4-7). Stay to the right of the divider or island.
• Slower Traffic Keep Right (R4-3). Slower vehicles use the right lane except to pass, and must leave the left lane when a faster vehicle comes up behind.
• Restricted Lane Ahead. A lane is reserved for certain vehicles or uses, such as buses or carpools at rush hour, or bicycles.
• Emergency Stopping Only (R8-7). Stop here only in an emergency.
• No Parking (R8-3) / No Parking on Pavement. If you must stop, park completely off the paved roadway.
• Reserved Parking for persons with disabilities (R7-8). Only a vehicle displaying an official disabled parking permit, and carrying the person the permit belongs to, may park in the space.
• Stop Here on Red (R10-6). Marks the stopping point at a signal.

Warning signs

Warning signs are normally yellow diamonds. They tell you what to expect ahead so you can adjust speed and position in time.

• Stop Ahead (W3-1), Yield Ahead (W3-2), Signal Ahead (W3-3). Slow down and be ready to stop; visibility of the sign or signal is poor. Be Prepared to Stop (W3-4) carries the same message.
• Speed Reduction ahead. Advance notice that the speed limit is about to drop.
• Advisory Speed plaque (W13-1P). The fastest safe speed for the curve or condition ahead. It may appear under any warning sign.
• Right Curve (W1-2), Sharp Right Turn (W1-1), Reverse Curve (W1-4), Winding Road (W1-5). The road bends as shown. Slow down and do not pass. Chevrons (W1-8) line the outside of a sharp curve.
• Large arrows (W1-6, W1-7). The road ahead turns sharply in the direction shown, or you must go left or right at a T.
• Cross Road (W2-1) and Side Road (W2-2). Another road crosses or joins ahead; look for traffic from that direction.
• Merging Traffic (W4-1). A lane joins yours ahead. Watch for merging vehicles and yield when necessary.
• Lane Ends / Reduction of Lanes (W4-2). The right lane ends; its traffic must merge left, and drivers in the through lane should make room.
• Two-Way Traffic (W6-3). Expect oncoming traffic; the road is no longer one-way.
• Divided Highway Begins (W6-1) and Divided Highway Ends (W6-2). A median or barrier separates the directions ahead, or it ends 350 to 500 feet ahead and you return to two-way traffic. Keep right.
• Roundabout (W2-6). A roundabout is ahead; slow down and be ready to yield to traffic already in it.
• Slippery When Wet (W8-5). Drive slowly in wet weather; avoid sudden speed changes and braking; turn slowly.
• Dip (W8-2) and Bump (W8-1). A low spot or a hump in the road. Slow down, and be ready to stop and turn around if a dip is flooded.
• Hill / Downgrade (W7-1). The road descends ahead; slow down and be ready to use a lower gear to control speed.
• Narrow Bridge (W5-2) and One Lane Bridge (W5-3). Two lanes with little clearance, so stay in your lane; or room for only one vehicle, so make sure no one is coming before you cross.
• Low Clearance (W12-2). Do not enter if your vehicle is taller than the height shown.
• Pavement Ends (W8-3) and Soft Shoulder (W8-4). The paved surface ends; or the ground beside the road is soft, so stay on the pavement except in an emergency.
• Pedestrian Crossing (W11-2), Bicycle Crossing (W11-1), Deer or Animal Crossing (W11-3). Watch for people, cyclists or animals crossing; slow down or stop to yield. Animals are most active at dusk and at night.
• Truck Crossing (W11-10) and Emergency Vehicle Crossing (W11-8). Trucks, or fire and rescue vehicles, may enter or cross the road here.
• Railroad Advance Warning (W10-1). The round yellow sign is usually the first sign you see approaching a crossing.
• No Passing Zone pennant (W14-3). Placed on the left side of the road at the start of a zone where passing is prohibited.
• Dead End (W14-1) and No Outlet (W14-2). The street, or the whole neighborhood of streets, has no through exit.

Guide, service and construction signs

• Green guide signs give directions and distances. Routes running east–west have even numbers; north–south routes have odd numbers. On Florida interstates the mile markers match the exit numbers, so they tell you where you are. Interstate shields (M1-1) and exit panels (E5-1) are part of this family.
• Blue and white service signs point to gas, food, lodging and hospitals (for example Hospital, D9-2, and Gas, D9-7).
• Brown and white signs lead to scenic areas, parks and places of cultural or historical interest.
• Orange construction and maintenance signs, usually diamond-shaped, warn of unusual or dangerous conditions around work areas, such as Road Work Ahead (W20-1). Slow down and follow signs, flaggers and officers; ignoring them is illegal and endangers workers.

Traffic signals

Signals are placed at intersections to keep traffic moving and prevent crashes. Drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists must obey them, except when a police officer is directing traffic. If a signal is dark or out of order and no officer is present, treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

Steady lights

• Red. Stop completely at the stop line and stay stopped until the light turns green. Do not stop far short of the line: some signals only change when a sensor detects a vehicle at the line. After a full stop you may turn right on red unless a sign says NO TURN ON RED and the way is clear. You may also turn left on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street whose traffic moves to the left. Before turning, yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to oncoming traffic. Running a red light is illegal and extremely dangerous.
• Yellow. The light is about to turn red. Stop if you can do so safely; being caught in the intersection when it turns red is dangerous.
• Green. Go, but only if the intersection is clear. Yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to vehicles still in the intersection, approach at a speed that lets you stop if the light changes, and when turning left yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

Arrows

• Red arrow. Do not make the movement shown until a green arrow or green light appears. The same right-on-red and one-way-to-one-way left-on-red exceptions apply after a full stop, yielding to pedestrians and oncoming traffic.
• Yellow arrow. The protected turn is ending or the light is about to turn red. Stop if you can safely.
• Green arrow. You may turn in the direction of the arrow. If a red light shows at the same time, you must be in the proper turn lane. Yield to vehicles and pedestrians already in the intersection.
• Flashing yellow arrow. Turns are allowed in the direction of the arrow, but oncoming traffic has a green light: yield to it and to pedestrians.

Flashing lights

• Flashing red. Used at dangerous intersections. Treat it as a stop sign: stop, then go when safe.
• Flashing yellow. Used at or just before a dangerous intersection, or to draw attention to a warning sign such as a school crossing or sharp curve. Proceed with caution.

Lane signals and ramp signals

Lane signals are used where the direction of a lane changes during the day, to show whether a toll booth is open, or to show which lanes are open or closed: a red X means never drive in that lane; a yellow X means the signal is about to turn red; a green arrow means you may use the lane while obeying all other signs and signals. Ramp signals meter traffic onto an expressway by alternating red and green; wait for green before entering.

Work zones and channeling devices

Work zones use orange signs, channeling devices (barricades, vertical panels, drums and cones, sometimes with warning lights at night), flashing arrow panels that tell you to move to another lane, and flaggers in bright or fluorescent vests who use red flags or signs to stop, slow or guide traffic. Stripes on barricades and panels slope downward in the direction traffic must move. Follow all of them; slowing down when directed is the law.

Drawbridges

A drawbridge signal works like a traffic light: red means stop at the marked stop line because the bridge is operating and the road is closed; yellow means it is about to turn red, so stop if you safely can; green means proceed with caution. A flashing yellow signal means the bridge is in operation, so slow down and prepare to stop. Where there are gates with flashing red lights and bells, stop when the lights start flashing and before the gate lowers. Driving around or under a gate, whether it is down or moving, is illegal and extremely dangerous.

Pedestrian signals

• WALK or walking person. Pedestrians may begin to cross.
• DON'T WALK or raised hand. Do not start crossing while the hand is flashing or steady; anyone already in the crosswalk when it starts flashing should finish crossing quickly.
• Countdown signal. The count begins with the flashing hand and ends at zero with the steady hand. Once the countdown has started it is no longer safe to enter the crosswalk.
• Rectangular rapid flashing beacon. The pedestrian pushes a button; once the lights flash and traffic stops, they cross. Drivers must stop and yield to pedestrians in that crosswalk.
• Pedestrian hybrid beacon. Dark: go if the intersection is clear. Flashing yellow: a pedestrian has pushed the button, slow down and be ready to stop. Steady yellow: prepare to stop. Steady red: stop for the pedestrian in the crosswalk. Flashing red: proceed with caution once no pedestrian is present and the crossing is clear.

Railroad crossings

Slow down when approaching a crossing and be ready to stop. Never stop on the tracks or within 15 feet of the crossing. Any driver, bicyclist or pedestrian must stop when the warning lights are flashing, the gate is down, a flagger signals a train, or a train is clearly visible and approaching.

• Advance warning sign (W10-1). Round and yellow; usually the first sign you see.
• Crossbuck (R15-1). The white X-shaped sign is a yield sign: trains have the right-of-way. A plaque below shows the number of tracks when there is more than one.
• Flashing red lights and bells on the crossbuck mean a train is coming: stop immediately.
• Gates with flashing red lights: stop when the lights begin to flash and before the gate lowers across your lane. Driving around or under a gate, down or moving, is against the law.
• Pavement markings may warn of the crossing before the stop line, and a dynamic envelope of white connected X's marks the zone where a passing train could strike anything that stops there.

Remember: buses and trucks are often required to stop at crossings even when no train is coming, so leave room behind them. With more than one track, make sure every track is clear. In heavy traffic, be sure there is space for your vehicle beyond the tracks before you cross. Trains move faster than they seem and cannot stop quickly; never try to beat one.

School zones

• School sign (S1-1). You are near a school. Watch for children at all times, not only during school hours.
• School crossing. Slow down, watch for children crossing, stop if needed, and obey any crossing guard.
• Begin School Zone / School Speed Limit (S5-1, S4-3P plaque). Do not exceed the school-zone speed during the posted times or while the beacon is flashing. End School Zone marks where the reduced limit ends.
• School Bus Stop Ahead. Be prepared to stop; the bus stop may be hidden by a curve or hill.

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