Oklahoma · Handbook chapter 3 · 5 min read
Chapter 3: Signs, signals and pavement markings
Oklahoma traffic sign colors and shapes, regulatory, warning, railroad, work zone, guide and service signs, traffic lights and arrows, pedestrian and lane control signals, and yellow and white pavement lines.
Why this chapter matters
Road signs are a large share of the Oklahoma written test. You should know each sign by its shape and color, so you can read it even when it is dirty, snow-covered or too far away to read the words.
Colors and shapes
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Stop, yield or "not allowed" |
| Yellow | General warning |
| Orange | Construction and maintenance warning |
| Fluorescent yellow-green | Schools, pedestrians, bicycles |
| White with black | Regulations and instructions |
| Green | Direction and guidance |
| Blue | Services for motorists |
| Brown | Recreation, culture and history |
- Octagon (8 sides): STOP. Come to a complete stop before the crosswalk, marked or not, and stay stopped until the way is clear.
- Downward triangle: YIELD. Slow down, be ready to stop and let traffic pass before you enter.
- Red rectangle under a STOP sign (ALL WAY or 4-WAY): every approach must stop.
- Red circle with a slash: the action shown is not allowed.
- Diamond: warning.
- Round yellow sign: railroad crossing ahead.
Damaging or removing a traffic sign is a misdemeanor, and a felony if someone is injured or killed as a result.
Regulatory signs
Regulatory signs tell you what you must or must not do, and you must obey them like any other law. Common ones are speed limits (the highest speed in ideal conditions), DO NOT ENTER, ONE WAY, no right turn, no U-turn, DO NOT PASS, KEEP RIGHT, lane-use arrows, no trucks and no bicycles. In a school zone, slow to the posted limit when the yellow light is flashing and watch for children.
Warning signs
Yellow diamonds warn of conditions just ahead: curves, a traffic signal or STOP sign ahead, merging traffic, a lane ending, an added lane, a divided highway beginning or ending, two-way traffic, a narrow bridge, a steep hill (use a lower gear), low clearance, a T intersection, pedestrians and deer. Striped markers and barricades point you around obstructions: the stripes slope down toward the side you pass on.
Railroad signs
- The round yellow advance sign means tracks are ahead. Slow down and be ready to stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail.
- The crossbuck works like a YIELD sign. A plate below it gives the number of tracks.
- Flashing lights mean a train is coming. Stop and stay stopped until the train passes; check that all tracks are clear.
- With gates, stop when the lights begin to flash, before the gate comes down, and wait until the gates rise and the lights stop.
- School buses, church buses, motor coaches and vehicles carrying explosives or flammable liquids must stop at crossings.
- In a Quiet Zone, trains do not sound their horns in normal operation. A NO TRAIN HORN sign marks it.
Work zones
Orange means a work zone. Slow down to the posted speed. Speeding fines double when workers or equipment are present. Obey flaggers, who wear orange and use STOP and SLOW paddles or red flags: stop in your lane and wait until signaled to go. Failing to obey work zone signs can bring a fine of $100 to $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail. The orange triangle slow-moving vehicle emblem marks equipment traveling 25 mph or less.
Guide and service signs
Green signs give directions and distances; mileposts start at the southern or western state line. Blue signs point to gas, food, lodging and hospitals. The litter barrel sign marks the only legal place to throw trash on the highway.
Traffic signals
| Signal | What to do |
|---|---|
| Steady red | Stop before the crosswalk or intersection and wait for green |
| Flashing red | Same as a STOP sign: stop, then go when safe |
| Steady yellow | The light is about to turn red; stop if you can do so safely |
| Flashing yellow | Slow down and cross with caution |
| Green | Go if the intersection is clear; yield to pedestrians and vehicles already in it |
| Green arrow | You may turn in the arrow's direction, even with a red light on |
| Flashing yellow arrow | Turn left only after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians |
| Red arrow | No turns in that direction; wait for green |
After a full stop you may turn right on red, or left on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street, unless a sign forbids it. Yield to pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles. An officer directing traffic overrides the signals. On a signal light, red is on top, yellow in the middle and green at the bottom.
Pedestrian and lane control signals
- Walk: pedestrians may start crossing. Flashing don't walk: do not start, but finish if already crossing. Steady don't walk: do not leave the curb.
- Over lanes: a red X means do not use the lane, a yellow X means clear the lane (flashing: left turns allowed), a green arrow means the lane is open.
Pavement markings
- Yellow lines separate traffic going in opposite directions. White lines separate traffic going the same way.
- Broken lines allow passing when it is safe. A solid yellow line on your side means no passing. You may cross a solid yellow line only to turn left.
- A solid white line marks places where changing lanes is hazardous, such as near intersections.
- A center turn lane has a solid yellow line on each side with broken lines inside. Use it only for left turns, never to pass.
Frequently asked questions
What does a flashing red light mean?
The same as a STOP sign: stop completely, then go when it is safe.
What shape is a warning sign?
A diamond, usually black on yellow. Work zone warnings are orange.
Can I turn left on red in Oklahoma?
Only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after a complete stop, unless a sign forbids it.
What does a yellow lane control X mean?
Clear the lane; it is about to close. A red X means do not use the lane.
How far from a railroad crossing should I stop?
Between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail.
Based on the Oklahoma Driver Manual (Service Oklahoma), Chapter 4.