Traffic Signs

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Traffic Signs

• NV Driver Education Curriculum
• Unit 2 Signs, Signals, and Roadway Markings
• Presentation 1 of 3

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Before we begin...Lets Talk About It
Share your thoughts with a partner.

• Take 60 seconds to discuss
• Why do you think traffic signs come in different
  colors and shapes?

3
Purposes of Signs

• Signs are designed to be easily understood
• Designed to ensure safety and communicate
• Regulate traffic, movement, or parking
• Warn of potential dangers or road conditions
• Provide information and guidance
• Traffic signs have uniform colors and shapes

4
Colors Have Meaning

• Colors convey traffic control information

Yellow warning/caution Black
White regulatory Orange work zone Blue
services

• Red
• stop or prohibition
• Green
• direction or guidance
• Brown
• recreational
• Fluorescent Yellow-Green
• warning

5
Shapes Have Meaning

• Shapes make recognition easier

Octagon stop Triangle yield Diamond warning
Pentagon school Shield - route
Rectangle (tall long)traffic regulations
Pennant no passing Circle railroad ahead
Cross Buck railroad crossing
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Types of Signs

• Three basic types of signs
• Regulatory
• Warning
• Guide
• Each convey a different type of information

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Regulatory Signs

• Control traffic and must be obeyed
• Most important regulatory signs
• Stop (unique shape)
• Yield (unique shape)
• Do Not Enter
• All other regulatory signs are either white
  squares or rectangles with red or black lettering

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Stop Signs

• Tells you where to stop (sign or line indicates
  where to make legal stop)
• Used at intersection of two (or more) streets
• Intersection may be a two-way or four-way stop

9
Yield Sign

• Found where roadways merge
• Always slow and check traffic
• Be prepared to stop
• Proceed only when it is safe

10
Speed Limits

• Show maximum speed allowed
• sometimes also minimum
• Speed limits are set for ideal driving conditions
• Poor weather condition, obey the basic speed law
• Basic Speed Law Do not drive faster than is safe
  for current weather conditions, regardless of
  posted speed limit
• Advisory Speed Limits recommend safe speed

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Other Regulatory Signs

• Prohibited some red circle with red slash
• Movement
• Other Restrictions/Prohibitions

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Warning Signs

• Most warning signs are yellow and diamond shape

• Intersections
• Lane changes
• Traffic
• Railroad

• Crossings
• Conditions
• Curves
• Chevrons

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Pedestrian School Zones

• Slow down and watch for children!
• Subject to speed limits either 15 or 25 mph
• Half an hour before and after school
• Some flashing lights indicate time of speed
  restrictions
• Violating crossing guard is misdemeanor in NV

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Railroad Crossing

• Crossbuck sign indicates location of tracks
• If lights flashing, you must stop
• If gate lowered, may not go around
• Passenger buses and truck with flammable or
  dangerous materials must stop at tracks

A train can weigh over 10 million pounds and
cannot swerve to avoid cars.
15
Road Construction

• Orange signs - may include cones, drums,
  barricades, and flashing lights
• May include warning or directional lights
• SLOW DOWN and follow all directions

Violation in work zone result in INCREASED
traffic fines
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Work Zones
Orange signs of work zones Enter with extra
concentration, caution, and common sense.

• Driving Tips
• Slow down
• Follow the signs
• Be alert
• Remain calm
• Give trucks space They need more room to stop
  and change lanes.

REMEMBER Speed limit applies regardless of the
presence of workers and fines are doubled.
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Guide Signs

• Several shapes and colors

• Destination and Mileage
• Route Markers
• Roadside Services
• Recreational Areas

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Route Signs

• Interstate signs blue and red
• East-West routes even numbers
• North-South routes odd numbers
• Three-figure route numbers
• Start with odd number leads into city
• Start with even number goes around city
• Loops usually bypass cities
• Meets primary route at both ends
• Spurs is a short route
• Meets primary route at one end

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International Signs

• International signs convey information by
  symbols rather than words.
• According to international agreements

• Danger warning signs either triangle or diamond
• Restrictive or prohibitory circle with red
  border, may have slash
• Mandatory directional signs usually blue circles

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International Signs
See Worksheet

• Think
• Red restrictionor warnings
• Blue guidance
• Yellow caution
• Green information

Malaysia Obstruction Ahead
Poland Tunnel Ahead
S. Africa No Stopping
Germany Bus Stop
Mexico Inspection Area
China Keep Your Distance
Australia Pedestrians may Cross Diagonally
Switzerland Passing Place
New Zealand Stop for People Crossing
Canada Sharp Turn
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Did You Know
Final Thoughts

• The first STOP sign appeared in 1915 in Detroit,
  Michigan.
• There were a variety of colors until the late
  1920s, when the background was standardized as
  yellow - for nearly 30 years.

By 1954, a durable fade-resistant red coatings
changed the STOP sign to thered color we see
today.