Working out what a road sign means

There are many signs that you will see day in day out as a driver and are obvious to understand. For instance signs that tell you the maximum speed limit on the road you're on. For some reason, the no entry sign seems to be the one that is most recognisable for everyone.

However there are other signs that you won't know as you have never come across them, and some that you do know what they mean but forget.

But there are rules that can help you work out what a sign means, and this is particularly useful if you come across a sign in a theory test and have whittled it down to a couple of options but aren't sure. Sometimes knowing the rules outlined below can help you work out what the sign means:

First of all, if the sign is in a CIRCLE then this means that it is giving orders.

If the sign is in a TRIANGLE then it is giving a warning.

If the sign is in a RECTANGLE, it is giving information.

This simple knowledge can help you work out what a sign means. Now, within the above descriptions there are also colours that act as clues, and by combining the two you will have a good chance of working out what a sign means.

BLUE circles tell you things that you must do, whilst red rings tell you things that you must NOT do.

Blue rectangles give general information, green ones tell you route directions on primary roads, white with black borders give route directions on non-primary roads.

Related Articles...

driving theory test
How to deal with bus lanes
If you see a bus lane then you will see a range of different attitudes from drivers. Mainly there will be frustration that they are stuck in a huge queue and there is a perfectly good lane that is...

Reading or hearing difficulties and the theory test
If you have some sort of reading difficulty, which might be but is not limited to dyslexia, then do not panic. You can get the questions read to you in English or Welsh (or indeed if you want the...

Risk factors when driving: snow and ice
When the snow is falling, there is one big problem - it is hard to see far infront. So like fog, reduced visibility is the problem with snow. And when there is heavy snowfall it can be very hard...

Your vehicle's age is important
The age of your car is important for several reasons. The main reason is that if your car is under three years old, there are four documents that you must be in possession of in relation to...

What a slippery road surface sign could mean
The problem with a slippery road surface sign is this: whilst you know what it means, you don't know what it means. If that sounds confusing, then the point is simply this - what is it that is...

Road position and large vehicles
In a car there are of course blind spots, but as soon as you drive a lorry you realise how significant the blind spots are for those vehicles. For one simple thing even with vans you can't...

The photocard driving licence
The new type of driving licence is a photocard, and it has several features on it that it is worth understanding once you are issued with your photocard driving licence. It contains your...

What causes accidents: speed
There is a well known saying from safety campaigns which simply says that "speed kills". Although many people think that you have to be travelling really quickly in order to make an impact...

Mock Driving Theory Test
Many learner drivers are in the process of finishing A-levels or at university, and so the process of exams and tests is very familiar to you. For those that tests and exams are a distant memory, a...

What to do when you sell a vehicle
When you sell a vehicle, there are some things that you have to do straight away. As soon as the vehicle is sold you have to tell the DVLA, which stands for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency,...


Back to home page of driving theory test questions