Montana · Handbook chapter 3 · 4 min read
Chapter 3: Traffic signs, work zones and school zones
How Montana signs work by shape and color: STOP, YIELD and DO NOT ENTER, regulatory signs, yellow warning signs, orange construction signs, flaggers, barricades and school zones.
Why this chapter matters
Signs speak the language of the road, and in fog you may only make out a sign's shape. Learning the shapes and colors lets you react the moment you see one.
Shapes and colors
- Red always means stop, yield, do not enter or wrong way.
- Eight-sided (octagon): STOP, the only sign with this shape.
- Downward triangle: YIELD.
- White rectangle with black words: regulatory signs that tell you what you must do.
- Yellow diamond: warning of a hazard ahead.
- Round yellow: the railroad crossing advance warning sign, the only round warning sign.
- Orange: construction and maintenance work.
- A red circle with a slash over a symbol means do not do what is shown.
Intersection control signs
- STOP: come to a complete stop before the crosswalk or intersection and yield to traffic close enough to be a hazard.
- YIELD: slow to a reasonable speed and yield to all vehicles on the road you are entering.
- DO NOT ENTER: the road ahead is one-way against you, or closed to vehicles.
Regulatory signs
| Sign | Meaning |
|---|---|
| DO NOT PASS | No passing vehicles going your way in this area |
| PASS WITH CARE | Passing allowed again, with care |
| NO U TURN / NO LEFT TURN | That movement is forbidden here |
| KEEP RIGHT | Stay to the right of the island or obstruction |
| SPEED LIMIT | The top legal speed until another speed sign |
| SPEED ZONE AHEAD | A reduced speed limit is coming up |
Warning signs
Warning signs are usually yellow diamonds with black symbols:
- Crossroad: a four-way intersection ahead.
- T intersection: you cannot go straight; turn right or left.
- Side road: a road joins from the side shown.
- Sharp turn, reverse turn, reverse curve, winding road: slow down before the bends.
- Narrow bridge: narrower than the road, but room to meet and pass. One lane bridge: no room to meet or pass.
- Road narrows: not as wide as your road, but still room to meet and pass.
- Low clearance: do not go on if your vehicle is too tall.
- Hill: a steep grade; check your brakes and use a lower gear if needed.
- Divided highway begins / ends: keep to the right; when it ends, traffic runs both ways.
- Deer crossing, range cattle, cattle crossing: animals may be on the road.
- Slippery when wet: slow down, do not brake hard, leave more space.
- Stop ahead, school bus stop ahead: start slowing now.
Work zones
- Orange is the color of work zone signs and devices: barricades, drums, cones, tubes and flashing arrow panels.
- Flaggers are dressed in orange (vest, shirt or jacket) and direct you with red flags or stop/slow paddles. Obey them.
- Barricade stripes sloping down to the right mean bear right; sloping down to the left mean bear left.
- There is no standard work zone speed limit; each zone has its own posted limit.
- Traffic fines are doubled in work zones, and endangering workers is treated like reckless driving.
School zones
- School zone speed limits can be as low as 15 mph.
- Fines are doubled in all Montana school zones.
- Always yield to pedestrians in school crosswalks, and never drive past a crossing guard holding a sign in the stop position.
- Watch for children near schools and parks day and night.
Frequently asked questions
Which sign is the only round warning sign?
The railroad crossing advance warning sign, a round yellow sign with an X and the letters RR.
What does a yellow diamond mean?
It warns of a hazard or change in the road ahead, such as a curve, an intersection or animals.
What color are construction signs?
Orange. Most are diamond shaped, and fines double in work zones.
How do I read barricade stripes?
Stripes sloping down to the right mean bear right; sloping down to the left mean bear left.
What is the difference between a narrow bridge and a one lane bridge?
A narrow bridge still has room to meet and pass; a one lane bridge does not.
Based on the Montana Driver Manual (Motor Vehicle Division).