Functions of regulatory signs

(1) regulates and controls the movements of traffic (2) tells drivers which specific traffic laws to follow

regulatory signs colors

(1) red on a white background (2) white on a red background (3) black on a white background (4) green on a white background (rare)

shapes of regulatory signs

stop/yield/railroad crossbuck = unique shapes, 80% are square, 20% are vertical rectangles

what is the most common regulatory sign?

speed limit signs

The most debated street sign in the country is...

school zone speed limits

Purpose of warning signs

(1) alerts drivers of possible hazards, dangers, and changes in roadway conditions (2) indicates to drivers that they need to give special attention to certain roadway areas

colors of warning signs

yellow (road closed), orange (construction), pink (detour, road closed, etc), fluorescent green (school zone)

shapes of warning signs

90% are diamond/rhombus, 10% are rectangle (rare)

where are pink roadway signs found?

rural/country roads or highly populated downtown areas

Three pink roadway sign examples

"Accident ahead", "Detour", "Road closed ahead"

Guide sign purposes

tells you where you are, where you're going, and what is around you. Lets drivers know how to get somewhere, how far they have to travel to get there, and informs drivers of nearby points of interest

4 types of guide signs

1) route markers, 2) destination and mileage (green), 3) roadside services (blue), 4) recreation and leisure areas (brown)

route marker colors

US interstates - red, blue, and white shield; state of Illinois - black and white; local county - blue and yellow

how to read interstate signs:

1 or 2 digit odd = North - South, 1 or 2 digit even = East - West, 3 digit odd = into a city, 3 digit even = around a city ("by-pass")

In general, what do roadway signs tell drivers?

what to do & what not to do, what to look for, where you are at & where you are going

Importance of road lane & pavement markings

Give drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians warnings and directions; reduce the risk of accident; controls traffic; indicates right of way

3 different types of lane line markings

yellow lines, white lines, and arrows

yellow lane lines vs white lane lines

yellow lines separate traffic going in opposite directions, white lines separate traffic going in the same direction

solid vs broken (dashed) lines

solid lines signal a no passing zone, dashed lines mean vehicles can move into the other lane

7 types of no passing zones

intersections, curves, hills, tunnels, bridges, special locations (school and construction zones and loading / unloading school buses), railroad crossings

purposes of a shared center turn lane

exiting an active roadway to make a left turn onto a different one and to merge back onto an active roadway from a different roadway

Which lane is designated for passing (fast-moving traffic going straight)? which is for slower-moving traffic trying to turn

left, right

Types of traffic control devices

1) traffic lights, 2) flashing lights ( flashing or solid), 3) arrows (flashing or solid), 4) lane signals, 5) pedestrian walkways, 6) railroad crossings, 7) traffic officers (handheld signs)

railroad crossing signs

1) crossbuck sign tells drivers how man tracks they are about to cross, 2) yellow circle with 2 "r"s tells drivers that they will encounter the tracks in 50 ft, 3) flashing lights and drop down gate warn drivers that a train is on the railroad tracks within 1 mile of their location.