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...
Practical Driving Test
There is an online booking system available for a practical driving test which you can access from the DirectGov website.
The web address to do this is: ...
Hazard Perception
There has been a significant increase in the focus of hazard perception and hazard awareness in the last few years since the introduction by the DSA of a separate hazard perception element to the...
Online Driving Theory
Why use an online driving theory website when there are also some books in publication that will help you study for your theory test? Well, there are several advantages to online driving theory,...
Mock Driving Theory
On our Mock Driving Theory page you can practice no fewer than fifteen different mock tests.
Each of them...
Regular car checks to perform
In addition to the daily checks that you should perform on core elements of your car such as the tyres (see article entitled 'what to check on your car daily') there are various other elements that...
The Driving Standards Agency
The Driving Standards Agency has a website at www.dsa.gov.uk.
They are an executive agency within the Department for Transport in the UK.
They deliver tests for theory and practical...
Driving Theory
Practice makes perfect. It is a known fact that if you practice a particular skill, you get better at it. This is true of mental skills such as performing mental arithmetic: the more you try to do...
Your ignition system explained
The ignition system is of course an essential part of the technology that allows cars to function, and without it you would not get very far. But what does it do? Well the system provides the...
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,...
Some common engine faults
It is beyond the scope of the articles here to go into detail about how the engine works and what the various parts of it are. For the theory test you won't need to know a great detail about the...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions