What Every Driver Must Know
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
41
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings
and Signals
A trafc sign’s shape gives you a clue as to its meaning and purpose. Learn to recognize these nine basic
shapes and what they mean.
Octagon
STOP
Triangle
YIELD
Diamond
WARNING
Pentagon
SCHOOL
Pennant
WARNING/NO PASSING
Horizontal Rectangle
DIRECTIONS
Vertical Rectangle
LAW
Round
RAILROAD CROSSING
Crossbuck
RAILROAD CROSSING
Traffic signs
Did you know that . . . ?
• In 1915, the rst stop sign was used in Detroit.
• In 1917, Michigan painted the rst center
line on a state highway, the Marquette-to-
Negaunee Road.
• In 1920, the rst four-way trafc signal with
red, yellow and green lights was used at
Woodward Avenue and Fort Street in Detroit.
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What Every Driver Must Know
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
42
Route markers
Federal, state, and county road systems
Interstate freeway sign U.S. highway sign
State highway sign County route marker
Traffic sign colors
A trafc sign’s color also carries meaning. Knowing
the colors of basic trafc signs will make you a more
informed driver.
Red: Stop/prohibited/forbidden
Blue: Service/hospitality
Green: Directions/guidance
Yellow: Caution/general warning
Orange: Caution for construction or
maintenance
Black: Regulatory/legally allowed or
prohibited
White: Regulatory/legally allowed or
prohibited
Brown: Recreation/cultural interest
Fluorescent yellow-green: School,
pedestrian or bicycle caution
Fluorescent pink: Incident/emergency/
unplanned event
Regulatory signs
Regulatory signs tell you about specic laws. These
signs regulate the speed and movement of trafc.
They are usually rectangular and have a color
pattern of white and black, red, white and black, or
red and white.
In 1912, William B. Bachman, Wolverine
Auto Club of Michigan tour chairman, made
plans for the group to travel 271 miles to the
second annual Indianapolis Memorial Day
Race. Problems arose when the confetti that
was tossed onto the roads by the lead car
to mark the route was blown around by the
wind. The 35 cars following the wind-tossed
paper trails ended up all over northern
Indiana and southern Michigan. By 1920,
Mr. Bachman had painted colored bands
on 2,000 miles of utility poles to designate
road routes to solve the confetti problem,
developing the precursor to a national
system of uniform road signage.
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What Every Driver Must Know
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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Traffic sign challenge
Can you identify the following signs? Think about the sign’s shape and colors. (Answers are on the next page.)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
7. 8.
FLINT
SAGINAW
9. 10. 11. 12.
13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.
19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.
25. 26. 27.
REST
AREA
28. 29. 30.
31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.
37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42.
43.
49.
44.
50.
45.
51.
46.
52.
47.
53.
48.
54.
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What Every Driver Must Know
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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17. No U Turn. U-turns are prohibited.
18. Right Turn Lanes. Regulates which lanes allow
right turns.
19. Center Lane Left Turn Only. Regulates that the
center lane of trafc is designated for left turns
only.
20. Do Not Pass. Prohibits passing.
21. Pass With Care. This sign follows the Do Not Pass
sign. It is on the right side of the road and marks
the end of a no-passing zone. Pass when it is safe
to do so.
22. Median Ahead. Indicates that a divided
roadway begins ahead.
23. Do Not Enter. You are not allowed to enter areas
where this sign is posted.
24. Authorized Vehicles Only. Only law enforcement,
emergency or maintenance vehicles may
legally use the emergency crossover. Never
drive across the median or emergency crossover
of a freeway. To change directions, drive to the
next exit, get off and re-enter the freeway in the
other direction.
25. Wrong Way. You have entered a lane of
oncoming trafc. Get out the safest and quickest
way possible.
26. No Trucks Allowed. Trucks are not allowed to
drive in areas where this sign is posted.
27. RR Crossbuck. A railroad crossing consisting of
two train tracks is ahead.
28. Rest Area. Indicates accommodations that have
restrooms for the public.
29. School Crossing. A school crossing for children is
ahead. Drive carefully and obey directions given
by a school crossing guard.
30. Slow-Moving Vehicle. The orange triangle is
mounted on the back of vehicles that do not
move faster than 25 mph, such as Amish buggies,
Traffic sign challenge
answers
1. Incident Ahead. An emergency or other
unplanned event has disrupted trafc. These
warning and guide signs will assist you in driving
around or through the affected area.
2. Gas Pump. Indicates the location of gas stations.
3. Exit. Indicates where the exit from the freeway is
located.
4. Bridge Ices Before Road. Cautions that a bridge
can be icy, even if roads are clear.
5. One Way. Trafc ow is the same direction in all
lanes.
6. Speed Limit 55. Regulates that the legal speed
limit on a stretch of road is 55 mph.
7. National Forest. Informs you about the location of
a national park.
8. School Children Present. School children are in the
area. Drive carefully and obey directions given by
a school crossing guard.
9. Flint/Saginaw. Informs you of the direction to take
to reach a location, in this case the cities of Flint
and Saginaw.
10. Wheelchair Symbol. Services and
accommodations for people with disabilities are
available.
11. State Route Marker. State highway M-32.
12. Parking Permitted. One-hour parking is allowed
between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
13. Stop sign. Come to a complete stop and yield to
trafc and pedestrians before proceeding.
14. Yield. Yield the right of way. Slow down and let
vehicles crossing your path go by.
15. No Turn On Red. Prohibits turning on a red light.
16. No Right Turn. Right turns are prohibited.
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What Every Driver Must Know
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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farm combines, and other large agricultural and
industrial vehicles. Drive with caution around
them.
31. Right Turn Ahead. The road turns to the right.
32. Road Curves Ahead. The road curves sharply to
the right and then to the left.
33. Sharp Curve Ahead, Limit Speed. A sharp curve
is ahead; limit your speed to 35 mph.
34. RR. A railroad crossing is ahead.
35. Watch for Bicyclists. Bicyclists may be in the area;
drive carefully.
36. Watch for Pedestrians. Pedestrians may be in the
area, drive carefully.
37. Obstacle in Roadway. A trafc island or
obstruction is ahead. Drive to either side.
38. Maximum Height Allowed. The maximum
clearance under a bridge or other structure is 12
feet, 6 inches.
39. Exit 25 mph. The speed to exit should not exceed
25 mph.
40. No Passing Zone. Located on the left side of the
roadway, this yellow pennant cautions you to
refrain from passing because conditions make
passing hazardous.
41. Intersection Ahead. A road intersects your road;
watch for cross trafc.
42. Side Road Ahead. A side road intersects with
your road from the right; watch for trafc.
43. Roundabout Ahead. A roundabout is ahead.
44. Road Work Ahead. This orange sign indicates
that construction or maintenance crews are
working in the area; drive with care.
45. Stop Ahead. A stop sign is posted ahead.
46. Yield Ahead. A yield sign is posted ahead.
47. Merging Trafc. Trafc merges from the right.
48. Lane Ends Merge Left. The right lane is ending;
merge left. Yield right of way to trafc in the left
lane.
49. Divided Highway Ends. The divided highway is
ending and will turn into two lanes of trafc.
50. Two-Way Trafc. Two-way trafc begins; keep to
the right.
51. Hill. A steep down slope is ahead. All vehicles,
especially large trucks, should take precautions
to make sure their brakes are working properly
and gear down if necessary.
52. Slippery When Wet. Road conditions become
slippery in bad weather; drive carefully.
53. Merge Left. The right lane is ending; merge left.
Yield the right of way to trafc in the left lane.
54. Bicyclists and Pedestrians. A bicycle and
pedestrian crossing is near; drive carefully.
Pavement markings
Pavement markings are white or yellow and warn,
regulate and inform drivers.
White lines
White lines separate trafc lanes moving in the same
direction.
Broken white lines
On roads that have more than one lane moving
in one direction, broken white lines separate trafc
lanes. Do not straddle the broken white lines or cross
the double yellow line. See Figure 5.1.
Figure 5.1.
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What Every Driver Must Know
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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Lines to help separate and
protect
Trafc conditions can be quite diverse. Buses and
trucks have specic speed limit restrictions, mopeds
and bicycles have restraints as to which roads
they may use, and allowances must be made for
pedestrians in all cases. Certain line markings have
the job of ensuring that vehicles, bicycles and
pedestrians share the road safely.
Crosswalk lines
Solid white lines mark many pedestrian crosswalks.
They are painted all the way across the pavement.
Crosswalks are also indicated by white stripes placed
on the road in the direction of trafc. Crosswalks are
placed at intersections and sometimes between
intersections. Stop your vehicle behind the crosswalk
line. See Figure 5.4.
Figure 5.4.
Stop lines
Stop lines are wide white lines painted across a trafc
lane that mark where you must stop your vehicle at
intersections. This keeps the vehicle out of the way of
pedestrians and cross trafc. If there are no stop lines
or crosswalks, stop the vehicle before entering the
intersection. Whether or not there is a stop line, make
sure you are able to see trafc from all directions
before proceeding. Can you identify the stop lines
in Figure 5.4?
Solid white lines
Solid white lines mark the right edge of the road.
Often called fog lines, these lines help you stay on
the road at night or in bad weather. It is illegal to
cross solid white lines when passing. Solid white lines
also are used to separate lanes of trafc moving
in the same direction. Do not cross a solid white
line. These white lines may designate sharp curves,
freeway acceleration and deceleration lanes, and
other parts of the road where lane changes are
considered dangerous. See Figure 5.2.
Figure 5.2.
Double solid white lines
A double solid white line is used to show a travel path
where driving in the same direction is permitted on
both sides of the line but crossing the line is prohibited.
See Figure 5.3.
Figure 5.3.
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What Every Driver Must Know
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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Yellow lines
Yellow lines separate trafc lanes moving in opposite
directions. They include solid, broken and center-lane
lines.
Broken yellow lines
A single broken yellow line usually marks the center
line of a two-way roadway where a vehicle may
pass if it is safe to do so.
Solid yellow lines
If a solid yellow line is on your side of the center line,
do not cross it to pass. See Figure 5.6. On a four-lane
divided roadway or a one-way road, a solid yellow
line usually marks the left edge of the pavement.
A double solid yellow line down the middle of a
two-lane roadway means that passing is not allowed
for vehicles traveling in either direction. There are
some situations in which crossing a double yellow line
is permitted, such as when turning into a driveway,
onto a crossroad, or accessing a parking spot.
Figure 5.6.
Directional arrows
Directional arrows are wide white arrows painted
down the center of the trafc lane. For example, in
Figure 5.5, only right turns are permitted in the lane
farthest to the right. The next lane permits either
right turns or straight travel through the intersection.
It is illegal to make a right turn from the remaining
two lanes. Always check for trafc and pedestrians
before proceeding or completing your turn.
Figure 5.5
Bicycle lanes
A bicycle lane is labeled with special pavement
markings and signs and is reserved exclusively for
bicyclists. A green bicycle lane indicates a potential
point of conict between cars and bicycles, usually
intersections and driveways. Watch for bicyclists and
take extra care when turning at green bicycle lanes.
It is illegal to use these lanes for driving, passing,
making right turns, parking, or as a pull-over to wait for
someone or make a delivery.
Sharrows
Sharrows or shared lane markings
alert road users about the proper
lane positioning and trafc ow to
ensure safety. If you see a sharrow,
watch for bicyclists and give them
the space, courtesy and respect
they deserve as legal road users.
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What Every Driver Must Know
Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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to turn left, a person must drive straight through the
intersection, or turn right, then make a U-turn at a
median crossover.
Are Michigan Lefts one lane or two? A single-lane
Michigan Left is designed for one vehicle to turn
at a time. While some crossovers may appear to
be wide enough to t multiple passenger vehicles
side-by-side, that extra room is actually there to
accommodate larger vehicles, like tractor trailers
and recreational vehicles, that need a wider turning
radius.
A multi-lane Michigan Left is designed for two
vehicles to turn at a time. Pavement markings,
such as arrows, ONLY lettering, and white solid
lines, indicate that both lanes may be used to turn.
An unmarked median crossover should always be
treated as a single-lane crossover.
How to drive a Michigan Left: See Figure 5.8. Highway
A trafc is prohibited from making a direct left turn
onto Highway B at the intersection. Instead, drivers
must continue past the intersection and turn left into
the median crossover. When trafc clears, the driver
will make a left turn onto Highway A and continue
straight or move to the far-right lane and turn right
onto Highway B.
Highway B trafc is prohibited from making a direct
left turn onto Highway A at the intersection. Instead,
drivers must turn right onto Highway A, move to the
far-left lane and turn left into the median crossover.
When trafc clears, the driver will make a left turn
onto Highway A and continue straight.
Left turn only center lane
A left turn only center lane helps trafc ow smoothly
by providing a designated lane for left turns. Each
outside edge of the left turn only center lane is
marked with a solid yellow line with broken yellow
lines on the inside edges. See Figure 5.7.
Figure 5.7. Left turns must be made from within the
left-turn-only center lane and may be made from
either direction. Using this lane to pass other vehicles
or as a merge lane is illegal and dangerous.
Michigan Lefts
What is a Michigan Left? Michigan Lefts, also known
as indirect left turns, are a type of turn that have
been part of Michigan’s road system since the late
1960s. Intersections that have Michigan Lefts do
not allow traditional left-turn movements. Instead,
Figure 5.8. When
drivers are prohibited
from making a left
turn at an intersection,
they must circumvent
the intersection and
use the appropriate
media crossover to
complete their turn.
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Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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Traffic signals
Trafc signals regulate the ow of trafc. It is illegal to
drive across public or private property, such as a
store parking lot, to avoid a trafc-control device.
Combinations of trafc signals, signs, pavement
markings and other trafc-control devices can be
found at intersections and railroad crossings, in
school zones, and at highway construction and
maintenance operations.
Red light means stop. It is at the top
of a trafc signal in Michigan. Stop
your vehicle behind the crosswalk
or stop line.
Yellow light means the signal is
about to turn red. You are required
to stop on a yellow light. If you
cannot stop safely, do not speed
up but drive cautiously through
the intersection.
Green light means proceed with
caution after checking for pedestrians
and vehicles.
If a trafc signal is not working, and there are no law
enforcement ofcers or other trafc signal devices
present to control the ow of trafc, come to a
complete stop and yield to vehicles already at the
intersection. Yield to vehicles on your right if you both
reach the intersection at the same time.
The 5-section-head signal
The 5-section-head signal or “doghouse signal” controls
left or right turns at intersections. This type of signal has
red, green and yellow lights along with a yellow and a
green turn arrow.
When the green arrow is
lit, turning drivers have a
“protected turn,” meaning
all oncoming or conicting
trafc is stopped. When
the green light is lit, you
may complete your turn
when oncoming trafc has
cleared.
Yield lines
Yield lines are typically found at roundabout
intersections and mid-block crosswalks to help
regulate the ow of trafc. When yielding to trafc or
pedestrians, make sure to stop behind the yield lines.
There are two types of yield lines.
White triangular symbols
White triangles painted across a trafc lane indicate
you should be ready to stop and yield to pedestrians.
See Figure 5.9.
Dashed white lines
Dashed white lines painted across a trafc lane in a
roundabout indicate that you should yield to trafc.
See Figure 5.10.
Figure 5.9. The white triangles indicate where to stop to
yield to pedestrians. The accompanying sign reminds
you to be prepared to yield for pedestrians.
Figure 5.10. The dashed lines indicate where you
should slow and yield to trafc in the roundabout.
Manual on Uniform Trafc Control Devices, Sect. 3C.01, Dec. 2009
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Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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A solid yellow arrow warns you that the left turn signal
is about to change to red. If you are approaching
the intersection, you must stop. However, if you
are already within the intersection and there is no
conicting trafc present, you may complete your
left turn.
A ashing yellow arrow allows you to turn left when the
oncoming trafc, which has a green light, is clear. Be
sure that there is an adequate gap in the trafc and
that there are no pedestrians or bicyclists crossing
before making your turn.
A solid green arrow indicates that oncoming trafc is
stopped and you may turn left. Proceed with caution,
always check for and yield to people in the crosswalk.
At intersections with vehicle-detection cameras or
in-pavement sensors, this sequence may be skipped
if there are no left-turning vehicles present.
Pedestrian signals
Pedestrian signals are used to control the movement
of people at specic crossing points along the road
or at an intersection. Some pedestrian signals may
have audible or visual countdowns indicating how
much time is left before the signal changes.
Figure 5.11. Samples of crosswalk displays.
The white symbol of a walking person or the
word “WALK” indicate that trafc must yield and
When either the yellow light or yellow arrow is lit, the
signal is about to change to red and you must stop if
you haven’t already entered the intersection or cannot
safely stop. If you have already entered the intersection,
complete your turn with caution after making sure trafc
is clear.
When the red light is activated, you must come to a
complete stop. Check for cross trafc and pedestrians
before proceeding when the light turns green or when
turning right on red.
Flashing red light
A ashing red light means come to
a full stop. Proceed when the road is
clear.
Flashing yellow light
A ashing yellow light means proceed
carefully through the intersection.
Scan across trafc in both directions.
Steady green arrow
A steady green arrow means that trafc
coming toward you is stopped and
you may proceed with caution in the
direction of the arrow. Yield the right of
way to pedestrians in the intersection.
Flashing yellow arrow
left-turn signal head
Research from the Federal Highway Administration
shows that by reconguring
the signal arrows used for
left turns, trafc moves
more efciently through
intersections and the
chances for crashes are
reduced. The ashing yellow
arrow left-turn signal head
uses four separate lenses to
manage trafc.
A solid red arrow means you
must stop. You cannot turn
until the signal changes.
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Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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pedestrians may cross. The signal will begin ashing
when the time to cross safely is nearing its end. Any
pedestrians in the crosswalk at that time should
complete their crossing. The words “DONT WALK”
or the red upraised hand means do not cross
the roadway. If you are a driver, always yield to
pedestrians.
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
A Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon is a crossing device that
alerts drivers to the presence of pedestrians. There
are six steps to the signal sequence.
Sequence for Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
1. Signal remains dark
until activated.
2. Signal ashes yellow
when rst activated.
Vehicles should slow
down and prepare to
stop.
3. Signal displays a
solid yellow light.
Vehicles must stop
unless unable to do
so safely.
4. Signal displays
solid red lights.
Vehicles must stop.
Pedestrians may
cross.
5. Signal alternately
ashes red, vehicles
must stop and yield
to pedestrians before
proceeding.
6. Signal turns dark
until activated again.
Figure 5.12. The Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon.
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Chapter 5: Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals
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Notes
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