Massachusetts · Handbook chapter 5 · 7 min read

Chapter 5: Signals, signs and pavement markings

Massachusetts traffic lights and flashing signals, turning on red, pedestrian beacons, sign colors and shapes, railroad crossings, work zones, lane lines, bike lanes, bicycle boxes and crosswalks.

Why this chapter matters

Road signs are part of every Massachusetts permit exam, mixed in with the other questions. Know what each light, color and line means, and learn the distances: stop at least 15 feet from a railroad crossing, and speeding fines double in work zones.

Traffic signals

• You may turn left on red only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after stopping and yielding.
• Never enter an intersection unless there is room to get all the way through. Blocking an intersection is illegal.
• If signals are dark, treat the intersection as a stop in every direction. If they are flashing, follow the flashing rules.

Pedestrian beacons

• Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon: amber lights flashing in an irregular pattern at a crosswalk. You must stop for pedestrians while it flashes.
• Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon: dark means proceed with care; flashing yellow, slow down; solid yellow, prepare to stop; solid red, stop for pedestrians; flashing red, stop, then go with caution if the crosswalk is clear.

Pedestrian signals

Pedestrians follow WALK and DON'T WALK signals. Someone already in the crosswalk when a countdown reaches zero still has the right-of-way. Drivers must yield to pedestrians in or entering a crosswalk in their path, must never block a crosswalk, and must not overtake a car that has stopped or is slowing for someone on foot.

Sign colors

A red circle with a diagonal slash always means something is prohibited.

STOP and YIELD

• At a STOP sign, stop completely before the stop line or crosswalk, yield to pedestrians and vehicles, then go carefully. Slowing down is not enough.
• With an ALL WAY or 4-WAY plaque, every direction stops, and the first vehicle to arrive goes first.
• At a YIELD sign, slow down, be ready to stop, and let vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians go first. Stop if traffic requires it.

Guide signs

Green signs give highway directions, blue signs list services such as gas, food and lodging, and brown signs point to parks and scenic places. Massachusetts state routes are shown on white rectangles with black numbers and borders; Interstates use red, white and blue shields.

Railroad crossings

• A round warning sign comes before a crossing. Slow down and get ready to stop.
• The crossing itself is marked with a white crossbuck, with the number of tracks below it if there is more than one.
• When the lights flash or the gate comes down, stop at least 15 feet from the gate or light post and stay stopped until the gate rises and the lights stop.
• Never drive around a lowered gate, and never try to beat a train.

Work zones

• The first thing to do in a work zone is slow down.
• Obey police officers and civil flaggers, even when their directions differ from signs, signals or markings.
• A Flagger Ahead sign is typically placed 500 feet before the flagger.
• Drums, cones, tubular markers and barricades guide you out of closed lanes; arrow boards show which way to merge.
• Speeding fines are doubled in a posted work zone.

Pavement markings

White lines (same direction)

• Broken white: lanes in the same direction. You may cross it to change lanes once you have signaled and it is safe.
• Solid white: the right edge of the road, or lanes (including bike lanes) you should not cross except to avoid danger.
• Double solid white: crossing is not allowed.

Yellow lines (opposite directions)

• Broken yellow: you may cross briefly to pass when it is safe.
• Solid and broken yellow: if the solid line is on your side, you may not cross; if the broken line is on your side, you may cross only to pass safely.
• Double solid yellow: no passing. You may cross only to turn left when it is safe.
• A single yellow line can also mark the left edge of a divided highway or one-way street.

Words and symbols

• A white diamond marks a restricted lane such as HOV or bus only.
• Sharrows show bicyclists where to ride in a lane they share with cars. Watch for bicyclists and give them room.
• Bicycle lanes are about five feet wide, marked with solid white lines. Cars may enter them only to turn on or off the road, after looking carefully.
• Advisory bike lanes have dashed lines: cars may use the space when needed but must yield to bicyclists first.
• Green pavement marks places where bikes and cars may conflict. Do not stop on it at a red light.
• Bicycle boxes are green boxes with a bike symbol before the crosswalk. Drivers must stop behind the box, even when it is empty.
• Red pavement marks lanes and stops for buses, trolleys and other transit.
• A yield line is a row of painted triangles. Stop behind stop lines, yield lines and crosswalks when a sign, signal or pedestrian requires it.
• You may not drive over or park on a channelizing island unless a police officer directs you.

Crossing guards

Crossing guards wear bright, reflective clothing and carry hand-held STOP paddles. When you see school crossings or guards, be ready to stop.