Indiana · Handbook chapter 4 · 4 min read
Chapter 4: Traffic signs
Indiana traffic signs by color and shape: warning, construction, railroad, school, regulatory and guidance signs, supplemental plaques and the slow-moving vehicle emblem.
Why this chapter matters
The Indiana knowledge exam has a separate signs part, and you need 80 percent on it. Most sign questions can be answered from a sign's color and shape alone, so learn these first.
Colors
| Color | What it tells you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Regulations that need immediate action | WRONG WAY, STOP |
| Yellow | Road conditions and hazards ahead | Slippery When Wet |
| Fluorescent yellow-green | Schools, pedestrians, bicycles, playgrounds and school bus routes | School crossing |
| White | Regulations you must obey, and some information | Speed limit, NO TURN ON RED |
| Orange | Temporary conditions, mainly construction and maintenance | Flagger Ahead |
| Green | Permitted movements, directions and guidance | Distance to towns, exits |
| Blue | Road services | Food, fuel, rest area |
| Brown | Recreation and cultural sites | State park |
Shapes
| Shape | Meaning in the Indiana manual |
|---|---|
| Octagon (eight sides) | STOP: stop and yield the right of way |
| Equilateral triangle (point down) | YIELD: slow down and be ready to stop |
| Circle | A railroad crossing is ahead |
| Pennant | No Passing Zone, posted on the left side of two-way roads |
| Pentagon (five sides) | A school area where children may cross |
| Diamond | Warning of road conditions and hazards |
| Rectangle | Regulations (such as speed limits and turn bans), guidance (route markers, destinations) or advisory speeds |
Warning signs
Warning signs are usually yellow diamonds. Indiana's examples include curves and sharp turns, a winding road, crossroads, side roads and T-intersections, Stop Ahead, Yield Ahead and Traffic Signal ahead, Merging Traffic, Added Lane and Lane Ends, Divided Highway Begins, Two-Way Traffic, Narrow Bridge, Steep Downgrade, Low Clearance, Low Shoulder, Slippery When Wet, deer, cattle, farm machinery, buggy (horse-drawn vehicle) and golf cart warnings, bicycles, pedestrians and playgrounds.
A small rectangular advisory speed plaque below a warning sign gives a safe speed for the curve, ramp, exit or roundabout. It is advice, not the legal limit, but you should not exceed it.
Construction and maintenance signs
Orange signs warn of work zones: Road Work Ahead, Detour, Flagger Ahead, Right Lane Closed, Work Crew Ahead and Worksite Speed Limit. Some carry Worksite Added Penalties, meaning fines are higher in the zone.
Railroad and school signs
- A round yellow railroad advance warning sign and the white X-shaped crossbuck mark a crossing. A plaque below the crossbuck may show how many tracks there are.
- Five-sided school signs, often fluorescent yellow-green, mark school zones and crossings. A SCHOOL BUS STOP AHEAD sign warns that a bus may be stopped where you cannot see it in time.
Slow-moving vehicle emblem
A triangle with a fluorescent orange center and red reflective borders marks a vehicle that cannot exceed 25 mph, such as farm equipment or a horse-drawn buggy.
Regulatory signs
Regulatory signs, mostly white rectangles with black or red symbols, tell you what you must or must not do: DO NOT ENTER, DO NOT PASS, ONE WAY, KEEP RIGHT, NO TURN ON RED, LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN, No Left Turn, No Right Turn, No U-Turn, No Trucks, lane-use signs such as RIGHT LANE MUST TURN RIGHT, SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT, MINIMUM SPEED, parking limits, reserved parking for people with disabilities and the TWO-WAY LEFT TURN lane sign.
A red circle with a slash means the action shown is not allowed.
Supplemental plaques under STOP signs
- ALL WAY: every direction at the intersection must stop.
- CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP: the cross street does not stop, so wait for a safe gap.
Guidance signs
- Route markers: the red, white and blue Interstate shield, the white U.S. Highway shield and Indiana's State Road marker.
- Green signs give exits, directions and posted distances to towns.
- Mile markers (mileage indicators) show your position along a highway.
- Blue service signs point to fuel, food, lodging, hospitals and rest areas; brown signs point to parks, campgrounds and historical markers.
Frequently asked questions
What does a round yellow sign mean in Indiana?
A railroad crossing is ahead. The manual says circular signs alert drivers to upcoming railroad crossings.
What color are construction signs?
Orange. They warn of temporary conditions, such as road work.
Where is the pennant-shaped sign posted?
On the left side of a two-way road, marking the start of a no-passing zone.
What does a five-sided sign mean?
You are entering a school area where children may be crossing.
What is the slow-moving vehicle emblem?
An orange triangle with red reflective borders on the back of a vehicle that cannot go faster than 25 mph.
Is the speed on a yellow advisory plaque the legal limit?
No. It is the recommended safe speed for the hazard, and you should not go faster.
Based on the Indiana Driver's Manual (Indiana BMV), Chapter 6. Sign pictures are from the national Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).