FAQs About Street Signs

You must pay attention to many different sensory cues when driving on a public right-of-way. Fortunately, civic agencies post informational signs to help you make sense of a sometimes chaotic situation. Signs instruct drivers about road conditions, and ensure the orderly flow of traffic.

Q: What should you do at a stop sign?

A: Stop at bright red, octagonal signs that say "stop." Bring your vehicle to a complete stop, with the front of the car even with the front of the stop sign. Observe traffic conditions from your stop, and if you possess the right-of-way, proceed to move your vehicle in your desired direction. You must also stop behind a school bus when it loads or unloads passengers

Q: What must you do at a yield sign?

A: When you see an sign shaped like an upside-down triangle, you are approaching an intersection. At a yield sign, you do not necessarily need to stop your vehicle, but you must allow any vehicle with the right-of-way to clear the intersection before you proceed.

Q: How can you find out what this street is called?

A: Agencies post street names at intersections on green, brown or blue signs running parallel to the direction of the street. When you pull up to a four-way stop, the street sign you see above the stoplight is the name of the street running perpendicular to your street.

Q: What does that bright yellow, diamond-shaped sign mean?

A: Most of these signs exist to warn drivers of local hazards, such as children at play, danger of rock slides, deaf children, school zones, high winds, flash floods and other unusual situations.